Final Stand
by MantyMouse
Summary: The sequal to Forgiven Forgotten Forbidden. They fought to buy themselves some time; but time is running out. The battle is still on and this time even the trio can't help them. It's time for Ginny & Draco to make a final stand- Them against the world!
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: **And here it is the Sequal...the new story we've all been waiting for! Ginny and Draco make one final stand- this time it's them against the world!

**Disclaimer:** I dont own any characters, spells, names, places or themes as such belonging to JK Rowling within this story. No copyright breach intended. I am not making a profit! (blooming wish i did own these ideas though :p)

enjoy...and please review...

Ginny looked out at the day, despairing at its greyness. Clouds loomed and she could feel a muggy presence drawing itself around the coast on which the two houses she now lived in stood. It was a year and a bit since Hogwarts had been attacked, it had been a very long year for Ginny. She had been nearly 17 when Draco had left her and she was now 18, the trio and Cho had all had their twentieth birthdays this year. Just as she had predicted she hadn't bothered returning for her seventh year at Hogwarts, but neither had she returned to the Burrow; things had gone too far for her to go back there. Although once she had been tempted, as Charlie now stayed at home and Bill had set himself up in Seashell cottage with Fleur, nearby to the Weasley home.

Mrs Weasley her self was much happier with the space she had acquired since her children had gradually moved out. Firstly after Hogwarts had been demolished the trio and Ginny and Charlie had all come back to stay in the family home, which became a deal too crowded. Percy even returned for a short time to apologise and receive his fare share of apologies from his parents, at which point he had calmly introduced his Muggle fiancée Tina. Then after the joint wedding with Bill and Fleur they had returned to their neat suburban home in outer London and things had been quiet on that front ever since.

Next to move out had been Bill and Fleur into Seashell Cottage, this had left the back extension free for Charlie to monopolise until he found somewhere to flat share. Fred was finally an official couple with Angelina and when Fred had moved out of the Weasley's home he had moved in with Angelina, they had found them selves a nice house in Hogsmede above a shop front where Weasley's Wizard Wheezes was thriving as ever. George and Rianna had told everybody of their love, it had certainly given them all food for thought and their parents a lot to adjust too. Never the less they too had moved in together not too far from Rianna's parents in Godric's Hollow; George was able to commute most days to the joke shop.

At this the Weasley abode had suddenly become incredibly empty. Harry longed to spend more time with Cho and Ron and Hermione needed their space so they had moved out to some secluded houses just outside a small seaside town, on a cliff top facing the sea. It was far enough away from London that Harry didn't have too much bother with publicity but they were still close enough at Hogwarts for their work. Cho was now a under manager of the department for Magical Law Enforcement, Hermione was the face of the International Magical Cooperation department, the under secretary to the leader, and Ron had become an Auror. Harry had turned down the post of apprentice to the Minister of Magic and taken up Dumbledore's offer as headmaster at Hogwarts, it had taken them a long time to rebuild and shortly after its completion the old man had died. Ginny had been sad when Hermione had started talking to her of plans to move away from the Burrow. But Hermione had soon put paid to that, she had insisted that Ginny come with them and Hermione had educated her from home well enough that she had sat and passed all of her NEWT's. Ginny had been pleased and now spent her time flitting between the two cottages and occasionally the Burrow.

Nothing, however, could lighten her present mood. A feeling of unrest had woken within her and it wouldn't go away no matter what she tried. She tapped her fingers on the worktop and looked at the clock, 5:30, nearly time for Ron and Hermione to return home. Harry had been away for a while organising pre-term things at Hogwarts and had only just returned, he'd gone to collect Cho from work and treat her to a meal. Ginny began preparing Ron and Mione's meal, spaghetti bolognaise their standard weekday favourite, ready for when they returned home.

--

After dinner Ron was washing up and Ginny drying when she first heard an odd noise.

"Ron what's that?"

"Huh?"

"Ssshh!" She put down her tea towel and moved to the window, peering into the darkness. An odd glowing seemed to coming from the end of the garden, as her eyes adjusted it took shape and began moving towards them.

"What are you doing?" Ron cried in alarm, but Ginny merely shushed him again and opened the back door, stepping into the garden. Behind her she heard hurried footsteps and urgent whispering, then Hermione was at her side. As the shape drew closer Ginny grew very pale. It was the eerie silver form of a patronus; a wolf. A patronus so chokingly familiar she could have cried.


	2. What do we do?

**Author's Note: **Thankyou so much for the huge, huge...overwhelming response to this sequel...the views, the reviews the favourites & alerts! It's all too much to take in but i'm very happy :) I know this chapter is mostly dialogue, I'm sorry it's probably very boring but i'm still trying to get my head round the storyline myself LOL...enjoy... x much love x

"Draco?" Ginny whispered, for a wild moment looking around the garden expecting to see Draco hidden in a bush teasing her. But the wolf was completely alone. It sat down in front of her and looked directly into her soul, with Draco's beautifully grey eyes.

"I escaped. He found out. He's in the Hidden City but coming back. Protect everyone. And Run, please run. I know you'll think of something. I'm coming to find you." The patronus spoke hurriedly and then began to fade.

"No, Draco wait! What do I have to do? Draco where are you?" But it had already vanished leaving a burnt white image on Ginny's eyelids. "NO! You can't just leave me! Draco!" Ginny kicked the nearest thing to her, the back door step, and felt tears well in her eyes for the pain. She dashed them away impatiently and stormed back inside the house.

"Ginny?" Hermione and Ron followed concernedly as she began storming to the front door.

"Where are you going?" Hermione squealed, dashing out after her, Ron in tow.

Ginny marched round to Harry's house and didn't even bother knocking, she swung the door back in Hermione's face and called harshly,

"Harry! Harry, get here now." A bewildered Cho came to face Ginny, exchanging a quick glance with Hermione over her shoulder.

"What is it Gin?"

"I need Harry now." She said bluntly, pushing past Cho and into the kitchen.

"Harry, come quick!" Cho called upstairs, noticing that Ginny wasn't in the mood to be argued with.

Eventually they were all gathered in the kitchen, Ginny pacing, unable to settle at all. Everything she had thought was going to last, every dreary second that she had dared to believe was her forever was now falling apart and at last the future was uncertain again. _Finally something dangerous I can do. Isn't this what I've been waiting for? Draco…_She couldn't focus her brain on his name. It just sort of drifted back to the Griffindor common room and the first time he touched her.

"Draco's free." She said abruptly. "He escaped and the Dark Lord found out. Or He found out and Draco escaped I don't know which. But whatever, he is coming back."

"Good?" Ron questioned, with his usual lack of tact and empathy.

"No." Ginny replied, although she was unsure why she said it. "The fate of the entire wizarding world is in our hands."

"Oh."

"Yes, 'oh'." Ginny frowned for a minute. "Draco said that He is in the Hidden City but will be coming back, and we've got to protect everyone. That's all he said."

"Voldemort's coming back? To kill everyone?" Harry asked haltingly, not exactly the words he wanted to say ever again in his life.

"No. Voldemort's coming back to get me. And kill everyone that gets in his way."

"What are we going to do?" Hermione whispered into the silence, gripping Ron's hand tightly. They had all got used to stability, compared to the old days of the Trio. None of them particularly wanted to return. Ginny, on the other hand, found her old optimism returning; she wanted to break out of the monotony. Anything but _this _for the rest of her life. Having everything she needed but nothing that she wanted, nothing she had to work for, nothing to love. It wasn't a life; it was an existence and she was sick of it.

"We're going to fight. I don't care what Draco says; I am not running. At least not yet." She corrected herself. "Harry you need to go back to Hogwarts, now. You need to get ready to have a siege inside if necessary. Whatever happens we're not letting Tom get to our Hogwarts, we worked so hard to build it again. Hermione you need to get back to the ministry and get a message out to the wizarding world; they need to be ready. And Ron you ought to go back to rally troops too. And get Percy to alert the Minister and get the country on Red Alert-" She was cut off by Harry,

"You've really thought about this Gin."

"My brain's working over time. I've needed something to do for ages. This is challenging enough, I think."

"Ginny, is this really sensible?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Yeah…maybe we should just think for a bit."

"I agree. Let's not go rushing in here, it might be way over our heads." Ginny couldn't believe her ears; she raised her voice

"Will you just listen to yourselves? I can't believe this! Are you who I think you are or not? Hermione Granger asks if something is sensible when she knows full well it might save everyone. You never hesitated when people were in danger before Mione. And Ron? Famous Aura even though none of us thought you could be, stood strong for years, survived everything you went through in school and now wants to sit back and_ think_? When was that how you worked? And Harry? Are you the man you were or not? The trio! The Golden Trio. The people everyone relies on, people who have saved us God knows how many times and you are going to sit back and do nothing. I can't believe this." They all looked at the floor.

"You're right." Harry muttered, "I'll leave for Hogwarts in the morning."

"I haven't finished yet. Cho you need to…"

"Cho stays here." Harry said quite firmly,

"What?" Ginny was outraged.

"Ginny, it's just that-"

"Gin, Cho is…that's to say, we are…" Cho's hand went to rest on her stomach and Harry's hand around her waist folded over it. Ginny gasped, as she understood. Tears welled in Cho's eyes and Ginny knew why at once; they had just declared war. What kind of world was that for a child to be born into?

"Ok. Cho and I will be centre of operations here, control base, if you like. We can all use patronus's, apparate and the DA coins can get back in action again."

"I'll get the Order of the Phoenix on alert as soon as I'm back at Hogwarts." Harry looked like he was thinking hard, "Course there's not many left now, but they're all fighters sure enough." Ron nodded in agreement.

"I'll have all the Aura department on high alert, actually all the Ministry while I'm at it, first thing I'll do is go to Percy."

As if on cue there was a loud crack and a bang on the door. Everyone grabbed their wands and looked around wildly, what time in the evening was this to be calling? Harry let his hand slip from Cho's side and walked quickly to the door, Ginny hot on his heels. He opened the door and a dark figure blundered their way inside and was instantly covered by five wands.

"Identify yourself." Harry barked sharply, in his best Head Teacher voice.

"It's me Percy Weasley." Ginny had to stop her jaw from dropping off _talk of the devil _"Calm down! It is me. I recently married Tina at a double wedding with my brother Bill and his wife Fleur; Ron you were best man, Ginny you were a bridesmaid."

"Ok we believe you." Harry sounded relieved as they all stood down and let a dishevelled looking Percy through into the kitchen.

"I'll cut straight to the point." He said solemnly "The Minister was assassinated just a few hours ago. I'm putting the Ministry under Code Red; I've been appointed Minister of Magic, for now at least."

"Who was it?" Ginny growled

"We know it was a supporter of You Know Who. Catching them is going to be a tad tricky however. All we know is that He is on the move again. There have been sudden spurts of support popping up all over the country in the last few hours; it's been insane. There's been three attacks on Muggle families, and one killing of a Muggle-born witch named Ellie Taylor. We have also had a break out from a high security cell in Azkaban and the Dark Mark is being cast all over the place, apparently just for fun. It's become a hobby of the new recruits, it seems, to cast it in the most public place possible and cause absolute chaos." He ran an absent minded hand through his hair. Ginny felt her world spiralling down towards utter panic, this wasn't _interesting _anymore, this was hell coming back to haunt her.

"I have to go now." Ron said abruptly, pushing past Percy towards the door. "I'll get my things and be back in five minutes Perce."

"Me too!" Hermione called, dashing after him.

"I'm ready to leave for Hogwarts, making a brief stop off at the Ministry in case I'm needed. As soon as you're ready Minister…" Harry gave a little smile, which was returned somewhat wanly by Percy.

"You're not coming Cho?" He asked brusquely, again Cho looked teary and Harry took her hand.

"No she's got to stay." Harry was quite firm.

"Fine. Maybe you and Ginnerva could be central operations here-" _One step ahead of you Percy, as per usual, and don't call me Ginnerva. _Ginny giggled in her head. "We're going to need you to get in touch with the- oh what did you call yourselves? Erm…Dumbledore's Army? And also to start working out ways of hiding all the families that are in immediate danger when the Dark Lord returns…"


	3. A stronghold taken

**Author's Note:**I love you all! thankyou for your on going support, PLEASE REVIEW, it really makes me happy.  
Never fear...all will be revealed...mwahahaha...

In the hours of the night after everyone else left for the Ministry, Ginny and Cho worked themselves flat out. They decided the best place to work was the kitchen. They were pouring over a long list of names, which were all the old members of the DA.

"So has Neville replied on the coin yet?" Cho quickly checked her scrawled notes,

"Yes, he's Herbology teacher at the moment and is making his way back to Hogwarts as we speak. He's living with Luna but she hasn't replied yet."

"I think we should send her back to Hogwarts too." Ginny said decisively, knowing they needed as much help as they could get.

"Yes I agree. I think I'll just tell Neville to get the message to her instead of trying her coin again." Cho got to work on the coins and Ginny ticked both names on the list and wrote a hurried note next to each.

"Parvati is an Aura she'll have been called in anyway if they've managed to establish a high-alert in the Ministry so I don't think it's worth contacting her. Padma is living with Seamus, we all saw that coming, so either one of them replying will do."

"I'm telling them they're needed back at Hogwarts. Or should I say they should go into hiding?" The girls frowned at one another for a second until Ginny gave a firm nod,

"No they should be at Hogwarts."

They worked long and hard alerting the DA members and getting them to their appropriate posts. Next in line were the families, most importantly for Ginny was hers and Cho's family. Cho's mother was Muggle but her father a wizard so they wasted no time in telling him to take up his Muggle part time job again and transform himself for the time being into a normal Muggle for the sake of hiding. It wouldn't be a problem he told them and Cho looked much happier to see them safe. Next, Ginny's family were somewhat larger to hide, and much better known besides.

"We can send patronus's to them, Mum and Dad need to get out of the burrow, it is far too well known. They could probably go and live with Bill and Fleur actually. Their cottage is quite well hidden." As she paused for breath, Cho chipped in,

"How well hidden are we Ginny?"

"Hermione threw every protection she could think of around both these houses before she left."

"I hope it's enough. If the Dark Lord is looking for spots of powerful magic to attack when he first comes back this place will be glowing off the scale with it." _It might make it easier for Draco to find. _Ginny didn't voice the thought allowed though.

"It's ok, he's not looking for powerful magic. If I know Tom, he'll go straight for the Ministry, second for Hogwarts; third for me." Cho remained silent, looking down. Ginny cursed herself inwardly; she hadn't meant to make Cho worry about her. "Anyway," She pressed on loudly, "I've sent a Patronus to Fred and Angelina to stay put, Hogsmede will be more than capable of putting up a fight if Voldemort strikes there, but too much movement from its inhabitants might draw his attention that way earlier. George and Rianna are going to move in with them too, for safety. Godric's Hollow is not the place to be if Voldemort is back." Ginny stopped to draw breath and put a tick on her list. "Percy can't hide but he's got a guard around Tina for her safety and Charlie has is moving to live with them because the Burrow is off limits. Hermione's parents have gone into hiding and she's not allowed to contact them."

They talked long and hard into the morning. Cho snatched a few hours sleep and Ginny made her some breakfast for when she woke up. It was very tense and neither could talk much unless it was about business.

As the sun rose to the midday point Ginny was curled on the sofa with Cho, both ready for a proper sleep when several things happened at once. There was a loud cracking sound outside followed by raised voices, there was a rap on the window from an owl with a letter and the patronus of a wolf appeared in the room. Ginny sprang to her feet,

"Draco?"

"I'm back. I'm in hiding. I'm going to find you but there's something I have to do first. You would understand. Keep safe, if you need to then get into the Muggle world and for god's sake hide till I come for you."

"Draco I-" But it vanished as quickly as it had appeared and Ginny cursed loudly. Cho was still sat dazed. "Get the door." Ginny snapped at her as she strode to the window and wrenched it open. The owl delivered the letter patiently then hopped inside the windowsill, Ginny stroked its beak absentmindedly, the letter was stamped from the ministry. What Ginny read next tore her world apart with such force that she had to clutch at window frame

_Ginny and Cho,_

_He Who Must Not Be Named has returned and the Death Eaters are out of hiding. Everyone has fled the ministry; those who have been injured are coming to you for help as I write. Hogwarts is holding defence, Harry has organised a siege but we don't know how long it is till he breaks. I can't return to Tina, as I cannot put her in danger; Ron, Hermione and I are well hidden, awaiting your instructions. Harry can't help us: this is your fight now. _

_Percy_

Ginny staggered to the door. Cho was knelt down examining a man unconscious on the floor, she looked up helplessly at Ginny, tears in her eyes once again. _My fight now. I'm the last hope. _Behind the man was a woman and two children, presumably his family, not far behind them two elves were huddled around a third who was bleeding badly, and behind them a steady procession of injured ministry workers and their terrified family members was converging on the house, more aparating every minute. Ginny's head was reeling then very clearly she fixed her mind on Draco's eyes, the precise grey flecked with tiny spots of amber in certain lights, the deep almost black tones and the faint nearly blue shades that reminded her why she had to fight.

"Cho get that man inside." She then directed her voice to the procession of helpless witches and wizards "If you aren't injured you must carry those that are. You need to form an orderly queue outside this house and Cho and I will offer what help we can." Her voice grew in strength, "We need to take your names too so we can determine who is missing and we will try to contact them. I'm very sorry but if you are uninjured you can't stay here very long we need to move you on. But we'll find somewhere safe I promise."

--

After two hours the flow of people arriving started to decrease but it wasn't until nearly midnight that everyone was settled and an air of calm began to take over the panic. They had tried to make all the injured and ill as comfortable as they could in the two small houses, all those with missing relatives had been comforted and Ginny had contacted her very best intelligence corps to help her keep them connected: Fred and George. They had proved extremely useful in broadcasting a secret wavelength on the radio that they were sure was un-hackable by the Death Eaters. They did, however, refuse to tell Ginny where they were, which saddened her greatly as she missed her older brothers, but she knew that safety was key in times of danger. Ginny had been staring at the DA coin for some time, she hadn't noticed Cho watching her.

"What's on your mind?" Cho asked gently,

"You really want to know?" Ginny joked, "I'm just worried, have you seen the amount of people camping out here. No offence but these two houses are tiny, they weren't meant to support this many people, and how long can we feed them all for anyway? And while we're at it, how long before Voldemort realises we're here?"

"I've been thinking the same. We need to get people out of here, these houses can't support all the injured let alone their families too. And now Voldemort has the ministry, well who know how long we have. I've made sure our fire places' connection to the floo-network has been destroyed but that wont stop them finding us. I've had an idea though…" Ginny looked up more keenly, "Why don't we open up Grimauld Place as another one of these refuges. We then have three houses to spread people between and the Place has three floors and a basement, it's huge. I'm sure Harry would fully support the use of it, if he was here." He voice wavered for a moment and Ginny hugged the older girl, she had taken her brilliance for granted over the last few hours and she couldn't thank her enough.

"I'll go right away and get Ron, Hermione and Percy to meet me there. When we're ready to take people in I'll send a messenger and I'll look to finding more refuges. I think I'll gather the Order too." Ginny's eyes were alight with excitement again. "You will be ok here by yourself wont you?"

"Of course." She replied, a little weepily, Ginny hated to leave her so lonely and vulnerable, but she couldn't think of that now, Cho continued "To get into the Place you have to apparate to it while thinking of Faulks the Phoenix. Don't ask it was Harry's password choice."

"Thanks Cho. Stay in touch." Ginny waited long enough to see her nod and then disapparated while thinking of Faulks the Phoenix.

--

Draco was exhausted, and filthy; he couldn't remember the last time he had showered, it certainly wasn't since he'd left the Dark Lord. All he'd kept in his mind the whole time he'd been escaping from Fortress Mord Schloss was Ginny; he could remember everything about her and now he was so close to finding her again. He'd actually cried the first time his feet had touched English soil again. The dark lord was more powerful in other countries than anyone in England could imagine, the minister had kept them in the dark, even Percy hadn't known about his reign of terror, Draco thought bitterly, _Maybe that's what caused the downfall. _He'd been nearing the ministry, the place he'd hoped to find salvation, and the place he'd hoped to reach in time to warn them, just as he'd seen the dark mark cast three times in the same place; it signified that the stronghold had been taken. Now he was at a loss as to where to go but he knew he must keep moving. He couldn't go to his parents' mansion, they wouldn't be there anyway, he hoped to god that they could get themselves out of the Dark Lord's clutches before they were destroyed. A lot of the aristocracy was trying, and many falling in the attempt, it made him sick to think of it. _I swear if there's one thing I can do I'll help them all get out, I'll find them somewhere to go. _He'd never thought to be a hero. Before Ginny he'd had nothing to fight for, now he had everything and he wasn't about to give it up until he'd shown the world what it meant to love. Suddenly an idea sprang to him. He had a mystery to solve, the connection between everything and he thought he was close, if only he could find the link. Everything he'd ever needed the answer to he had found at _Château de belles paroles_. It was his castle, built way out in the countryside, far from Malfoy Manor or the Dark Lord's mansion, his mother had it built in secret for him when he was a child and originally it had just been furnished like a normal mansion, but whether for Draco's love of books, or because of the magic of the strange name, the place had gradually transformed itself into a giant library. Draco knew it was there that he needed to be right now.


	4. The Mark

**Author's Note: **Hope you enjoy it!! I'm just churning out chapters at the moment :) Just a **warning **There is some creepiness in this Chapter between Bella and Tom. Nothing major but it might freak you out if you are upset by disturbing relationships at all. Anyway please review :D and just remember, no matter what Ginny thinks, Tom is still Voldemort and he likes hurting people...

Ginny found herself on the top step of Grimauld Place. She sighed; it seemed an eternity since she had been here. She opened the door and stepped inside, finding herself instantly covered by the wands of two figures in the shadows.

"Ginnerva Weasley. My patronus is a horse, the man I love has the patronus of a wolf." She had decided this would be her identification from now on.

"Ok come in." Percy voice was clear. The next thing Ginny saw was a mass on brown bushy hair throw itself at her. She smiled and hugged Hermione back.

"Where's Ron?"

"He had to stay for a while, to make sure all the Aurors registered with him." Percy answered,

"What he stayed at the ministry?" Ginny looked horrified

"No he stayed near the ministry, heading people off, so we don't have any more deaths."

"More deaths?" Ginny felt sick,

"The Muggle-born that got killed earlier." Hermione whispered. Ginny nodded, secretly relieved, she couldn't take any more killings right now. Just as they were moving into the kitchen the door opened once more. This time Ginny too spun round and drew her wand.

"Ronald Weasley. Just been at ministry. Living with Mione Granger. Really need to tell you something take your bloody wands down." He gasped. Ginny nearly smiled. They walked quickly to the kitchen, and into the light, and everyone could see something was very wrong.

"Ron what's happened?" Hermione whispered.

"The aurors are coming here. We've been beaten; we couldn't even get inside the ministry. And-" His voice cracked, tears in his eyes, "Parvati is dead." The words sunk slowly through Ginny's brain, ripping open a void of hate and anger and sadness. Hermione's sobs echoed eerily through the room, Ron took her in his arms but he too was crying.

"Where's her body?" Percy asked,

"We didn't want Voldemort to get a hold of it. Two of the aurors offered to take it up to Godric's Hollow to bury. But there's more important things now, Fred and George have news and information." He reached and turned on the radio, though nobody wanted to hear it.

"Good afternoon fellow listeners. Whether you're trapped in Hogwarts, on the run, in hiding or cowering at the bottom of a lake in your local park we'd like to share with you the latest grave news from today. Firstly it is to say, the country has officially been taken over by You Know Who, he has the ministry and all workers are currently fleeing. We beg you, please don't all run to the same places, split off and hide or you will draw attention to yourselves. If you come under Death Eater contact in your house or work place, or even your village, to avoid deaths please do as they ask and allow them to gain control. At the moment forces working for our side are unable to help you."

"We'd also like to urge you to take part in a minute's silence in memory of Parvati Patil who bravely lost her life fighting to save the ministry of magic today." Nobody in the Place even dared breath, the guilt was too much. "Further more, if you are have only just left your home, or are injured or on the run please first report to Miss Cho Chang who will look after you in her home. We'd like to announce for those ready to move on from refuge 1 that Grimauld Place is open for business, you will be informed by it's inhabitants when there are vacancies." Ginny found her hope growing, this wasn't over yet, not by a long shot; Tom thought he'd won before they'd even started.

"We would also like to give our thoughts to those inside Hogwarts. Stay strong we will end this. If any members of Dumbledore's Army, any aurors, or any of the Order of the Phoenix are listening: We need you, if you aren't inside of Hogwarts already, come to Grimauld Place to help, we need a fighting force because we can't let Voldemort get our secret weapon. If you're listening Ginny…you are our secret weapon. We need you now. You have to be able to stop Him. For god's sake don't get caught. Thank you folks and goodbye."

Ginny was overwhelmed. All that support, everything she needed was right here, except Draco.

"Right when the Aurors start arriving Percy I need you to deploy them where you think necessary."

"What about where _you_ think necessary?" He looked uncertain, like a little boy again,

"Perce, you're still in charge of the country, you know what to do better than I do. Ron and Hermy you can start going back and collecting the homeless to take in here, I'm going to leave you permanently in charge of this base, Minister you can go where you want." She addressed Percy. "I'm going to find more places for resistance strongholds. God am I glad I studied war history now Mione." Hermione laughed, remembering it had been Ginny's least favourite topic in History of Magic. But they seemed an awful long way from school right now. "I'm also going to find Draco."

It was as though she'd dropped a bombshell.

"But you can't!"

"Where is he?"

"You're supposed to be in charge."

"You'll manage just fine without me. I have to find him. If we can put all we know together then maybe, just maybe I'll have a way of stopping Tom once and for all. And if I have to confront him, so be it, I'd rather Draco was at my side. Right Hermione what will I need to take?" Hermione dashed out of the room and reappeared with a rucksack,

"Bigger on the inside," She explained. "I have some Muggle money you should take, and probably some wizard money too. I'll pack you a bit of food just in case."

"And you can take that tent we borrowed for Quiddich World Cup, just in case, again."

"And I'll write down Tina's address in case you need to go there."

"Don't forget your DA coin." Ginny smiled at all the help she was getting, as Ron went looking for the spare radio so she could hear Fred and George daily, and also a few school books she might need. She hadn't thought to bring any clothes to Grimauld Place but Hermione lent her a few to take with her and soon Ginny was ready to go.

To keep the Place safe she apparated to a nearby wood before she attempted a sedate walk through the Muggle world. She had no idea where Draco might be but she needed somewhere to set up camp while she though about it. Very suddenly an idea sprang to her head. St Mungo's! No one had thought to check if Voldemort was there yet, it would be a useful place to secure. So, all thoughts of finding Draco pushed to the back of her mind, she started to walk through London to where she knew St Mungo's was located.

--

Draco smiled as he opened the doors to the Chateau; it was where he had always felt home. The only place he had ever felt at home. The first thing he really wanted to do was shower, and shave, and also find a house-elf to make him something to eat. He snapped his fingers and one appeared,

"Lasagne for dinner." He ordered, remembering what it was like to order not to be ordered. The he felt guilty, Ginny would be horrified hearing him talk like that; so would Mione. _Oh god I miss Mione. _"Please." He added, and the little elf nearly fell over its own feet.

--

Ginny had been watching St Mungo's for two hours now and all seemed quiet. In truth it was a little too quiet. She hadn't been able to see anything as she'd peered in the grimy window, taking an apparent sudden interest in the dummy within the shop front, and then she'd crossed the road and sat in this café. It was tacky, the whole district was, but the coffee was decent so she couldn't complain. She just didn't know what to do next, she needed to ascertain whether the Death Eaters were active there, but she didn't want to go right in just in case they were. As if in answer to her thoughts a gangly youth walked right past the shop front, he stopped and peeked into the window, then apparently stop to scratch his left arm. Ginny was instantly suspicious. Within a minute he was joined by an older friend and the two feigned an interest in the shabby shop before walking briskly round the corner. _Death Eaters! I'm sure of it, when he scratched his arm he was calling the other man with the Mark. I need to tell Mione and Ron. _Her heart pounded as she casually dipped in her purse for change to pay the bill. She made herself appear to be checking the value of her coin while deftly typing the message to Hermione, Ron and Percy: _Get people to St Mungo's. Death Eaters are trying to secure it too. Hurry. _

She walked quickly down the street pretending to look for something in her bag, it was easier to do this than try and keep her head still, she kept having to look behind her and didn't want to draw attention to herself by being paranoid. As she turned a corner around the back of the block towards a subway from which she could apparate, she turned to notice the same two men back again, this time with a third in tow. Once in the subway she could breathe easy, just for a moment. Then she noticed the graffiti on the wall. _'D.E still recruiting.' _Next to a green spray paint image that looked sickeningly like the Dark Mark. Ginny shivered, the sooner she got out of here the better.

--

The next morning Draco felt considerably better. But he still didn't feel safe. If Voldemort found him now, he'd kill him. Draco shuddered as he thought back to the time he'd spent with the Dark Lord since he'd left Hogwarts. It was something he tried only to relive in the small hours of the night, but he found his mind wandering there now.

First thing the Dark Lord had done was to establish a huge protection around Draco, because he believed him to be The Key. Next, the all of the Death Eaters had left England, buying Harry and the others some time to rebuild Hogwarts. They had travelled first to France, campaigned and taken over in a matter of weeks, shortly afterwards taking both Spain and Germany. They had travelled on to the Hidden City of Babylon, so named because in times of old powerful Wizards and Witches had taken it over and hidden it; making it appear to the Muggle world as if it was destroyed. There had been Draco's undoing. It was a city of eternal truth, and Voldemort had learned the truth about Draco, and also much about what he needed to finally destroy Harry but for some reason he hadn't found that Ginny was The Key, the city could tell him nothing about her; although he guess she was. What else he had stayed to learn Draco had no idea because he had been taken away to Fortress Mord Schloss in the Black Forest in Germany, which was the torture house and prison for all betrayers, captives and leaders of the rebellion; Draco was considered to be all three. From there he'd found a prisoner he didn't like very much, used a few mind games he'd learnt from his father and made the prisoner try and escape. In the melee he'd managed to get himself out via a hole the prisoner had blown through his wall. Once out Draco knew he couldn't apparate because he'd be found so he'd walked god knows how many miles until he'd got out of the country. He'd nearly died doing so; it had sapped all his energy to hold a mirage around himself to prevent him from being found out. Eventually he had rested in a house belong to an old wizard who had nothing to do with Voldemort's campaign. The wizard had told him much about the Hidden City in the distant land. That it was a legend and only the brave the crazy or the desperate sought it, Draco wasn't sure which, if any, Voldemort was but he knew what he needed from it. He needed to find out if a rift could be held open, by The Key or The Grey Soul, and how he would open it.

Draco had then travelled on to France, attempting to stop at Beaubatons academy but finding it already taken by the Dark Lord. He'd here met some old friends of his family who'd managed to hide themselves from Voldemort's reign and quickly discovered that Voldemort had already infiltrated the Ministry back in England. He'd tried to get there early enough to warn the minister but he was assassinated and before Draco could get to Percy the ministry had been taken. True he never liked Percy anyway, pompous know-it-all in his opinion, but they were on the same side now and it had hurt Draco to see them fall.

--

Ginny apparated to a beach where they had once taken a family holiday, she wasn't sure exactly where it was but it was somewhere on the coast of Scotland. She'd thought about sending Draco a patronus but decided against it, if he'd been captured again the patronus could be traced back to her. _If I were Draco where would I be?_ Maybe she ought to go to his parents' house, might be a start at least, though how much welcome she would get from Lucious she had no idea…or even from Narcissa. Ginny sighed, she was completely lost, and anyone she went to for help she would endanger. She found a cave by the sea and put the tent up inside for extra shelter, she made a fire and cut a hunk off her loaf of bread to toast, then heated a tin of beans over the fire too. She ate from the tin with the cutlery Hermione had had the foresight to pack and then washed everything in the sea. She was about to settle down to bed when she realised she hadn't thought at all about protection for herself. She cast a few hurried spells around the place and then sent her patronus to guard the tent entrance.

Late that night Ginny felt something move near her, she sprang to her feet and drew her wand, only to find her it was her patronus, which vanished the second she reached to touch it. Carefully she got up and moved to the door of the tent. What she saw made her heart turn and her skin crawl. Bellatrix Lestrange was walking along the beach and with her was Tom. Tom Riddle.

The younger Voldemort was walking along the beach, and it wasn't just a figment of Ginny's imagination, he was there, separate from Voldemort's body. Ginny clutched at her wand, hoping and praying she couldn't be seen.

"So Tom…the mark?" Bellatrix purred, and Ginny felt a stab of jealously. _You're to old for him Bella; he's 17 for god's sake! And he's mine. _She caught herself.

"She'll come if I burn it stronger."

"But she doesn't have the mark."

"It will call her all the same. She belongs to me. And the more people that have the mark the stronger the pull will be in her mind and in her heart, which is why you Bella must keep recruiting."

"But I'm away from you so long. You're sure she'll come?" She purred,

"Positive. I have seen many things in the Hidden City, Bella, things I could never understand until now…that is how I am able to separate myself. Only temporarily of course." Bella nodded, transfixed. Ginny hadn't noticed till now but she was clinging to Tom's arm, besotted. "I can burn the mark stronger for you now, if that is what you desire." Tom's voice dropped low, to a growl, Ginny loathed Bella with every fibre of her being. Tom only _ever _spoke to her in that way, not some good-for-nothing unworthy Death Eater woman. He turned to face her so they were stood close.

"If it _pleases _you my lord." Bella's voice trembled with lust, she spoke in a whisper, her chest rising and falling heavily. Tom roughly pushed back the left sleeve of her robe, he ran one finger over the mark slowly, and then suddenly gripped his fist around her wrist tightly, pulling her closer still.

Whatever was going on Bella seemed to be enjoying it but at the same time it was obviously hurting her, Ginny guessed this must be him burning the mark deeper into her.

"_Yes._" She gasped, tilting her head back and closing her eyes. Ginny saw the manic gleam grow in Tom's eyes as he gripped tighter and tighter to Bella's arm, Ginny winced, his gaze was taking in Bella's face with such pleasure at hurting her it made Ginny almost sick to witness. Bellatrix let out a strangled sob and then he seemed to snap out of it. He released her arm,

"That will do for now." She gave a cry and fell forwards into his arms and then with a crack they were both gone, aparated to who knows where.

Ginny's head reeled as she tried to go back to sleep. At least they hadn't seen her. But so many things she'd seen and heard made no sense.


	5. Azkaban

**Author's Note: **So the chapter feels a bit choppy in places. Hope you like it though...it's gona get better :D expect a blood bath...i'm not going to be nice, i will kill as many people as possible! lol.  
love you all. peace. enjoy. review.

here goes

It was god knows what time in the morning but Draco was wide awake; he'd felt the mark burn deeper. He was trying to figure out why Voldemort was burning it so strongly, also why was he recruiting so heavily? So many questions were unanswered and it was driving him mad. He left his bed and walked into the largest library, he sat in the middle of the floor, cross-legged like a child,

"I need answers." He whispered and waited while several hardback books from various different rooms flew towards him. When they'd finished arriving Draco picked up the first, entitled 'Immortality, only a legend?'.

--

Ginny knew now more than ever that she needed to find Draco. She knew that between them they would have the answers. She knew she couldn't stay here, especially as Tom had been so close. At least it was proof her defences were working though, but she had the suspicion it was less to do with her spells she had put around the tent and a great deal more to do with herself, if she could just put her finger on it. Ginny didn't know what time it was but she got up and began to pack, not feeling in the slightest bit hungry. As soon as everything was inside her rucksack Ginny made to apparate when she caught sight of something at the back of the cave where she'd been, clutching to her wand she moved towards it. Carved crudely, in the back of the wall was a skull with a snake tongue and under it the initials, RL and BL. Ginny knew that had to be Bellatrix and Rudolphus Lestrange, she wondered briefly how Rudolphus felt about Bella and Tom then decided that when you were caught up in so many cheats and lies as the Death Eaters were a little infidelity within marriage wouldn't hurt. Ginny shivered, wherever she went the Mark seemed to follow her at the minute. So it was thinking of a place as far removed as possible from the Mark that she aparated.

Ginny appeared seconds later in Nottingham Forest, not entirely sure what had made her come here. She set up the tent and established protection around herself again before turning on the radio. Whether or not she wanted to she knew she would listen to Fred and George.

"Hello fellow listeners, time for the bad news again with the odd glimmer of hope on a gradually darkening horizon. The glimmer of hope being we have taken St Mungo's for our own. The darkening horizon being the losses we sustained. A moment's silence, please, for the dead Mad-Eye Moody, Professor Minerva McGonagall and Dean Thomas." Ginny was choked with emotion; she had dated Dean once and been good friends with him as long as she could remember. And now he had been fighting _her _cause, he had gone to St Mungo's on _her _command and it was her fault he was dead. As for Moody and McGonagall, their loss was significant in that members of The Order Of The Phoenix were running low now, and they had both been formidable fighters. All Ginny wanted to do was find out who was responsible and kill them by her own wand; but she knew that wasn't her job. Her job was to end this. "We would like to recognise the successful opening of Grimauld Place for a hospital and safe home for those seeking it, however it becomes apparent that He Who Must Not Be Named is closing in on all wizarding communities. Godric's Hollow, Hogsmede and Ottery St Catchpole are the latest addition to the Death Eaters collection of playpens. More people have been recruited than ever and we are certain that Azkaban Prison is his next target." Ginny flicked the radio off; she couldn't bare it. _I have to go. _She realised quickly that she'd spent so much time moving and not enough time trying to get answers, _but first I need to know the question. _She sighed inwardly, neither was she any closer to finding Draco, _If he's still alive, _the thought nagged at her day and night and she couldn't shake the feeling of dread; _Still it's always better to know. _Ginny wandered aimlessly outside of her tent, needing the air yet taking care to stay inside her spells for protection.

She couldn't stand still; there was a feeling of paranoia that wouldn't leave her alone. She heard a rustle and froze, slowly drawing her wand. Gliding inches from her protective spells was a huge snake, too huge; it had to be Nagini Lord Voldemort's pet. Ginny began to shake uncontrollably, begging her body to remain still until the snake had passed by. So Tom was somewhere near, she thought, panic rising like bile. Ginny waved her wand and she was packed, within seconds she had removed the spells and aparated. When she appeared in a toilet cubical at a London tube station Ginny couldn't keep herself calm, yet she knew it was essential. Whatever was going on it had her completely freaking out, everywhere she went the Mark seemed to follow her, it was terrifying.

--

Three tubs of ice cream later and Draco was still getting nowhere, everything was just swirling around in his head making no sense and bringing him back to one thing; Ginny. On thinking her name he reached for his vodka again. _I've got to find her again, I can't wait for her to find me, she obviously can't, she doesn't even know about the Château…maybe after all this time she doesn't want to find me. _But no sooner had he thought it than he dismissed it again. Her last words to him still rang clear through his mind _"Never really alone, as long as the flame has fuel it will never die. The memory._ _But remember just because they can't feel or understand, doesn't mean you have to forget._ _I'll always be waiting."_ …_Maybe I should go to my parent's house, _he thought _if they have even managed to escape. Oh well, if they have they might know what the resistance is doing._

--

When she felt calmer Ginny stepped out of the cubicle, remembering to wash her hands for the sake of looking normal. It was a relief to find a busy crowd outside as she stepped off the escalator and out into the sunshine and she soon realised she had taken herself to Marble Arch tube station so decided to make for Hyde Park and walk, she needed to think.

Her brain was working over time as she sat on a bench, staring blankly at a Muggle newspaper she'd had the impulse to buy, she thought the pretence of reading could give her a few moments rest from constant walking, she'd only been gone two and a bit days and already she was running out of places to be. And what was following her to everywhere she aparated? _Wait…nothing followed me to Marble Arch though. Oh no, how do I know that? I didn't check! How could I have been so stupid? _It was too late to go back and check the station for signs of the Mark now; she'd have to go on to her next destination. _But where? _And out of nowhere the answer came, as if the idea had been in her head all along. She needed to go and see Azkaban prison and find out if that really was where Voldemort was taking next. She casually got up from her seat and put her paper in her bag making her way towards the nearest subway. Once inside she looked up and down and aparated.

Ginny shivered as she looked at her surroundings, she was on the bridge that led from the mainland out to the creepy isolated island that was home to Azkaban Prison. She didn't need to look for long, there were enough black hoods around here to know that Voldemort had taken the prison; she didn't want to get any closer anyway. Ginny quickly whipped out her DA coin and contacted Hermione again. _Don't send people to Azkaban, it's too late. _

But now she was stuck, where could she apparate to that was safe? Ginny retreated a few metres and was about to sit and rest in a little cave when she noticed the entrance to it was covered in graffiti.

"This is getting ridiculous." Ginny muttered to herself. No doubt it was just young new recruits that had taken up broadcasting their loyalties as a new game, however it was starting to really frighten Ginny. She ran a hand through her hair and felt despair threatening to overwhelm her. _No don't give in, not yet. Just go back to Grimauld Place and you can set out again in a few days when you're calmer. _It felt like she was admitting defeat but she knew there was nowhere left for her to go. As she thought of Faulks the Phoenix she also felt a sudden pull on her heart, she wanted more than anything to go _home. _Home to Hogwarts a year ago or so ago when her and Draco had been happy together living in their quarters; but she knew deep down things wouldn't ever be like that again, it was too impossible.

--

Draco still hadn't worked up the guts to find his parents, he didn't know if they would betray him he didn't even know if they were alive. He was frightened and didn't want to admit it. And everyday more and more he felt the Mark burning and didn't know why. He had found some answers to his questions, and that was the only thing to make him satisfied. He knew now that Voldemort needed Ginny's pure soul because he himself would have been the pure soul, when he had met Ginny in the diary he had known then what was going to happen to him, he had even taken Ginny to the future to see him getting destroyed, and he'd known that his soul would be too ruined by murder by the time he needed to open the rift in time. He also knew he needed to take Ginny back to where it all started, at Godric's Hollow. And that's where his research ran dry, he couldn't get any further and he was still toying with the idea of finding his mum and dad. However, if he did that he'd put himself at risk of being turned, no way did he except his father to play fair and keep him hidden if there was a reward in it for him. It was a difficult decision but anything was better than being stuck doing nothing. He set himself a date: two days time. Enough time for him to drink himself stupid, deal with the hangover and then work up the guts to go to them.

--

"Ginny! You're back."  
"God Hermione you have no idea. Oh my god! Quick!" Ginny pulled herself out of Hermione's hug and dashed into the front room of Grimauld Place, Hermione hot on her heels. Ginny twitched back the curtain a fraction.

"Ginny what are you doing?"

"I didn't think. What if they followed me here? I might have put you all in danger."

"Who followed you Gin, what danger?"

"The Dark Mark." Ginny hissed in reply, Hermione gasped.

"What do you mean?" But Ginny merely ssh-ed her impatiently and began to scan the little square outside the Place. Sure enough a pair of hooded figures crossed the square in front of the house, glancing up at the spot between eleven and thirteen before disappearing into the park on the opposite side of the road.

"Oh god they did follow. Mione it's the Dark Mark…it's following me everywhere I go."

"Ginny those Death Eaters have been here for days, they weren't following you." Hermione shook her head uncertainly, gently pulling the younger girl away from the window.

"Oh." Ginny gave an uncertain sigh, "I don't understand. It's been following me everywhere else."

"Where else have you been Ginny?"

"I'll explain to you and Ron together. Where is he?" Hermione bit her lip,

"Your message was too late. He didn't take his coin with him. I couldn't stop him!" She burst out,

"Hermione what?" Ginny reached out to touch her arm,

"Oh god Ginny. They went to Azkaban."


	6. Parting of The Ways

**Author's Note: **This is the last chapter probably till i get back from holidays :( sorry guys! But please review it, i love you all to death and i adored writing this chapter for you :D xx

--

"God damn it! Why didn't I go there sooner? I could have it just didn't…" Ginny was pacing the kitchen still, after an hour. Hermione was sat, head in hands, watching her with a stricken look on her face. Ginny knew she ought to be comforting her, tell her it wasn't her fault, but she just couldn't. "Hermione where are all the people here anyway?"

"What?" Ginny stopped pacing and looked at Hermione's nervous face, anger began to bubble within her,

"The people. The ones who are meant to be here, the homeless, the scared, the injured; where are they?"

"Well I…the Order came. What's left of it. We called together the DA, anyone willing, volunteers came. They went to Azkaban planning to take it before the Death Eaters did. We had a kind of army-"

"An _army_?" Now she really was angry, "Hermione we got this place open as a hospital. To help people, not to get more people killed. We opened it as a shelter for those who needed it; I left you with instructions! And you've turned it into some kind of war camp, a barracks to train up more innocent people-"

"Ginny you just said it. You left us. You said Percy was in charge."

"Oh so this is his idea?" Ginny face Hermione from the doorway, both girls were stood, angry and determined. They'd always been so similar, but they were both set in their ways now and the difference between them seemed miles.

"No Ginny! When are you going to grow up? It was our call; Ron and I had a judgement to make. What would you have done Gin? You said it yourself back at the cottages, we're at war, you made us come here, you started this. When are you going to get it straight in your head? This isn't a game!" Ginny glared, her voice lowered to a hiss,

"A _game_? Mione, you think I don't know this isn't a game?" Her voice became shrill once more, "What have I sacrificed to buy us this time? Look at what I lost. For nothing! Don't you think I know if I hadn't been born none of this would have happened? Anyway, it all counts for nothing now. I think I know better than anyone this isn't a game." She strode from the room and picked up her rucksack, swinging it onto her shoulders and making for the door.

"Ginny no! I'm sorry. Ginny don't go, don't leave me. What will I do? Ginny please."

"Do what the bloody hell you like Hermione. This obviously has nothing to do with me anymore. I'm going to find Draco then we're going to get the hell out of here and you can win _your _war by yourself." She looked at Hermione's terrified face and wasn't in the slightest bit moved. _She can get what she deserves if she thinks she's just going to walk in and take over my place the second I'm gone. _

"Ginny please. You can go but there's something I want you to have…" She whispered, Ginny raised her eyebrows and placed a hand on her hip as Hermione dashed upstairs.

When she returned she tentatively held out a red, leather bound book. Ginny snatched it from her grip.

"What is it?"

"Draco gave it to me. It's his diary from when he was growing up, he gave it to me last year." Hermione instantly saw she'd touched a nerve, mentioning Draco,

"He gave it to _you_?" Her voice was deadly calm, even, spelling out danger to Hermione,

"I'm his sister." She whispered. But with a 'pop' Ginny had vanished.

--

"God are there any other channels than Death Eater ones these days?" Draco said to the empty bedroom, as he fiddled with the tuner on the radio, "The Dark Lord really does infiltrate quickly now." He flicked through the channels once more. _Propaganda, news, propaganda, bad music, propaganda…wait what? _Draco flicked the radio dial again, going backwards and forwards through the last few frequencies,

"I could have sworn-"

"We would also inform you…" It died out again, that familiar voice, not exactly the one he'd wanted to hear but it was a sound for sore ears.

"Fred!" He called triumphantly and began tuning with more enthusiasm. "Or maybe George? …Who cares? They're alive!"

"We would like to stress that any news at all concerning those fighters at Azkaban would be more than welcome. If you've seen or heard them please get in contact." The smiled faded and Draco's face creased with concern,

"Shit, they went to Azkaban. That's suicide."

"However more rumours of killings that turn out to be false will not be appreciated. Honestly, if You Know Who had killed as many as people keep telling us he has, there would be no wizards left to kill by now. So please calm down, there's only one of Him, as far as we know. On a more serious note, if you are in Azkaban, or safely out of Azkaban or have any information please get in touch with either ourselves or Miss Granger at Grimauld Place as she would be hugely relieved…"

"Hermione!" Draco didn't need telling any more. His sister, his _twin_, was still alive; it didn't get much better than that in his book.

Within minutes Draco had aparated to the top doorstep at Grimauld Place, it was night so he was sure no one had seen him appear. He gently turned the handle and slipped inside.

"Who's there?" Hermione's tremulous voice came from the shadows and he could tell from her silhouette that her wand was raised. _I wouldn't like to be on the receiving end of that, I nearly was once. _

"Mione it's me, Draco." He started to move towards her, arms open but she raised her voice once more, her wand aiming directly at him,

"Don't come near me! You might be an impostor. Identify yourself properly." Draco gulped. Had things got this serious? Was it already so much of a war?

"Draco Malfoy. Your twin. My patronus is a wolf; I'm in love with Ginnerva Weasley. God Hermione, would any Death Eater say that?"

"You are a Death Eater. But you're my brother and I love you." She whispered and threw her arms around his neck.

"Mione I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." They walked into the kitchen, which was Hermione's main haunt. The bedroom felt empty without Ron and with the door open in the kitchen you could see right down to the front door.

"So have you had any news from Azkaban yet? I heard on the radio. Who's there? Whose orders did they go on anyway?" Hermione looked down at the table and her voice cracked with emotion as she spoke.

"Ron went. Seamus, Padma, Tonks, Remus, Angelina, Oliver, Rianna, Eloise Midgeon, Colin Creevey, Hannah Abbott, Ron's family, and a few other's we've never met before. _Everybody _went. And it was…it was… Ron and I who ordered them there in the first place. It seemed like the only option, we didn't know Azkaban had been taken, we had to act, what could we do? Ginny tried to warn us but she came too late." Hermione looked pleadingly up at him, begging him to understand it wasn't her fault.

"How many have died?" Draco asked numbly,

"I don't know. Already dead? Parvati, Dean Thomas, McGonagall though god knows how she got out of Hogwarts, Professor Moody…" She trailed off helplessly. Draco sat down slowly,

"I'm sorry I couldn't get back sooner…I tried to warn you in time about the ministry but by the time I'd got there it was too late. And I've had to keep a low profile lately; I was scared…if I go back He'll kill me. Or he'll use me to get to Ginny and that would be worse." Suddenly Draco's eyes snapped open, realisation dawning on him. "You said Ginny tried to warn you. Where is she? She's not here is she?"

"No, we er- that's to say I …we had an argument. She thought we made the wrong call getting an army here, she said our priority was to make it a hospital not a barracks. She was cross with me and she left. And I guess I said some things I shouldn't have too, I really shouldn't have underestimated the sacrifices she's made for us. Well, you've both made for us." Draco nodded. "I guess you're going to try and find her now. I knew you wouldn't stay." She looked away briefly, "That would be selfish of me. I don't know where she went I'm afraid. But I can tell you she left with your diary that you gave me last year, so anything you've mentioned in that could be a clue to where she's going."

--

Ginny was sat on a bench somewhere in the streets of Muggle London reading Draco's diary.

"'Mum and Dad are still working on the cure. I hope they finish soon.' The cure to what?" She mused to herself. It was dark and late and Ginny was tired. She'd been planning on eating and sleeping at Grimauld Place but Hermione had put paid to that. She played with the empty carton that had earlier contained her chips and dipped her finger down to the bottom, carefully licking off the last of the ketchup. _There must be something I've missed, there just has to be. The cure to what? _There was the more pressing matter, however, of where on earth she was going to sleep. _Maybe a Muggle Homeless shelter? No…I'd feel too vulnerable. _Ginny got up from her bench and began walking, to where she had no idea. London was big and scary, full of men leering at her from street corners and people sleeping in doorways, groups of large rowdy teenagers leaving crowded clubs pushing and shouting at each other. Ginny couldn't have looked more out of place if she tried.

Eventually, painfully, her feet landed her back at Kings Cross Station. No one was around at this time of night and she slipped past the minimal security guards she saw. Soon Ginny was stood by the barrier between the Muggle world and her own world, it was odd to be stood here for the first time in over a year, it set her stomach on fire with all kinds of unwanted emotions. Slowly she moved towards the pillar of stone and lent against it; hoping, wanting. But nothing happened. She looked up and down the pillar, then walked around to the other side and gasped.

A big red X was marked across the wall, it hung slightly, shimmered and Ginny knew it was a spell, not like the crude graffiti she'd found so far. Above and below letters had been burnt, or scribed, into the brick work: _Hogwarts shall never again open, until it has been cleansed of those not pure. _Ginny's stomach turned over. She walked quickly away from the platform, fist clenched around her wand in her pocket.

Quickly, Ginny left Kings Cross and made hurriedly for St Pancreas station, not far at all, and much more modern inside. Still at this time of night it had a fair few commuters in and the lights and gentle buzz of the place made it much less frightening than creepy Kings Cross. She made her way to an all night café and ordered a hot chocolate to go _now what? _Suddenly an idea struck her. She took up a brisk walk towards the female toilets on her way in Ginny saw two Muggles doing exactly what she was about to do, but she distanced herself from them and kept her head down. In the toilet cubicle Ginny rummaged through her rucksack and found her sleeping bag, she lay it down against the wall and snuggled herself into it, rucksack in arms, Draco's diary pressed against her heart; it wasn't long before desperately needed sleep took her.


	7. More Than One Cure

**Author's Note: **I have been away too long guys, sorry to keep you waiting but i hope you enjoy this. Towards the last few lines i got very emotional because i can't believe what's happening...i'm soo happy about it! (wow im making it sound like i dont even plan the story line, i do i promise) anyway enough babbling...just enjoy and review :D

When Ginny woke in the morning her body complained loudly about being moved, hardly surprising considering the recent lack of sleep, care and attention she'd given it. But despite protesting legs she groggily got up and left the station.

When she'd walked a good few blocks she felt a lot better and a lot more like breakfast. Ginny nipped over to the first Starbucks she saw and ordered a muffin and coffee. _If I eat like this for much longer I may as well take out shares in a few coffee companies. _She sat down at a table near the back, she was getting paranoid about windows because she was convinced that Death Eaters were everywhere _sad really when I think about it. _She thought, before opening Draco's diary again, _there must be something I missed…the cure to what? _

--

"I wonder what she can have found in there?" Draco paced the hall looking back at the dejected forms that now littered the kitchen. Bill, Charlie and Mr and Mrs Weasley sat on chairs around the table, all sustaining various injuries. Ron cradled Hermione in his arms to one side of the room, everyone else was slumped against the walls with obvious spaces where Eloise Midgeon and Colin Creevey would have been; had they returned alive. Draco couldn't look at them for shame. For shame of doing nothing for too long when he could have been helping, for shame of the mark that was burnt deeper than just his skin. Then it hit him, _the mark. But she wouldn't really go there would she? Maybe she would…shit but would I? Can I trust my parents anymore? _

--

As soon as Ginny saw the sketch of the mark drawn behind the words of the chapter about the cure, she knew what she had to do. To hell with not trusting the Malfoy's, they might be her only hope. She paid for her order and walked briskly from the café, thinking hard. She knew she'd never get through the gates at Malfoy manner that was for sure, but maybe if she aparated directly to Draco's room she could bypass the security. Highly unlikely, but it was the only plan she had. She found a deserted subway soon enough and ducked inside, _Malfoy Manor, Draco's Bedroom, _She thought as hard as she could, clutching the diary to her chest fearfully.

With a crack she appeared in a darkened room. It was huge, nearly the size of the Weasley's top floor, but there was none of the character of the Burrow. Dark furniture, dark walls, the odd Slytherin emblem or motto emblazoned here and there, but nothing that showed her any of Draco. With a flip of her stomach she laid a hand, just briefly, on the covers of Draco's bed. Then she swiftly fled the room. She ran down the stairs and hadn't even reached the bottom when she saw the two wands covering her; Ginny slowed to a walk and drew her own wand. Already she had misgivings about coming here.

"Give me one reason why we shouldn't turn you in Weasley." The tired voice of Lucious Malfoy reached Ginny's ears. She looked from him to his wife and was almost moved by pity, they weren't old, and yet they looked it. They looked tired, and dirty and scared…was that even possible?

"Because the Dark Lord would kill you as soon as look at you. You're a deserter, you've got no one now, no one to pay you and no one you can turn me in to."

"Insolent child." Lucious spat at her, but allowed her to continue to the bottom of the stairs.

"I have an offer for you." She was greeted with stony silence, and gulped before finding her voice again. "Can you cure it?"

"I don't know what you mean." Narcissa's cold voice was barely a whisper as she turned away from Ginny. Suddenly Ginny found her strength growing, where the words were coming from she had no idea, but come they did.

"Look at you both. You're pathetic. You're nothing. Look what you left behind."

"Quiet child, or I swear I'll kill you." Mr Malfoy strode towards her and jabbed his wand at her throat, Ginny knew now she was on the right track and didn't raise her wand in defence.

"If you were going to kill me, you would have done it already." He lowered his wand slightly,

"Leave." He muttered, "Leave us and let them come for us, we've accepted our fate, maybe you should accept yours."

"You used two be young and beautiful," She was addressing Narcissa more than Lucious now, "You two used to be the highest of aristocracy, the most favoured of His workers, utterly in love with one another. But you were smart too, some of the brightest of your time, you saw what was going down long before anyone else, maybe even before Dumbledore…and you were working on a cure for the Dark Mark."

"It was useless." Lucious whispered,

"If you cured it, would others follow you?" Narcissa began to walk away again. Ginny grabbed her arm suddenly over come with desperation, "Please! You might be the last hope. If you can cure it, then maybe, just maybe we might stand a chance in this. We might even be able to find out how it keeps following me everywhere." Narcissa's finger nails gripped Ginny's arm tighter, she looked at her strangely,

"_You're_ following it."

"What?"

"That's how it starts, when the Dark Lord wants to capture someone he has connections with. He'd been close to you, he knows you and he knows your mind. It's not following you. Everywhere you go, everywhere you apparate it's pulling you towards it. Even here, you were pulled here by the Dark Mark and the more people He recruits the stronger it will become; harder and harder to resist." Mrs Malfoy's voice cracked and she dropped Ginny's arm.

"Oh god!" Then it all fitted into place. Her thinking of St Mungo's at the exact time the Death Eaters had, the Graffiti she saw everywhere, the Death Eaters in the square at Grimauld Place; it all made sense and scared her. "Would they follow?" She asked again,

"No. They're lost." Lucious whispered,

"Yes!" Narcissa's voice cut through his, "I know they would."

"If you cure it for me I can offer you protection, allegiance to the side."

"We would we want allegiance to the side that's losing." Mr Malfoy rounded on her,

"Because it might be your last hope." Then what Ginny witnessed next was something far beyond her understanding, beyond what she had always been told about the Malfoy's. Lucious and his wife looked at each other over Ginny's head. Tears welled in Mrs Malfoy's eyes and she nodded at her husband. He suddenly side stepped around Ginny and grabbed his wife by the arms, kissing her lips passionately. Ginny could have cried _that's Draco and me, _she thought sadly.

"We'll do it." Narcissa told her. Ginny nodded gratefully,

"I need to ask you one more favour. Do you know where your son is?" She hardly dared to breathe, the moment she needed could be so close to her it was unbearable.

"Go up to his room." Mrs Malfoy told her,

"But wh-?"

"Just do it."

Ginny took the stairs two at a time, she hadn't taken a breath for what felt like several minutes now, she could hardly dare to believe that what she wanted might be actually be within her reach after so long. She swung open the door to his bedroom and managed to catch her breath for the first time in what felt like years,

"Draco." She whispered it, the name sounding foreign in her mouth,

"Ginny." His grey eyes met hers and neither could move.


	8. Lovers Reunited

**Author's Note: **The lovers are reunited...*cue angels, trumpets, slushy music and a happy end* wrong...i will be the last person to write a happy end :) still, while we're waiting, i hope you enjoy this chapter. please **review **it will make my day. love you all....

-*-  
"The room." Draco's voice was cracked with emotion. It tore Ginny in half to hear the familiar tones, the rises and falls, the pronunciations of what few words he had said.

"I locked it. Magically. No one will have got in. It's exactly like it was when…" She couldn't carry on. She took a deep breath "When-"

"I love you."

"I love you too." The couple crossed the room in quick strides and when they met in the middle any hesitation they had thought about was tossed aside. Held in an embrace so passionate it tore at their skin. Ginny could smell Draco's smell, feel the softness of his skin; drink in every contour and every shadow that lay on his body.

Then the lips, God, the lips. Lost in a kiss was a meaningless phrase, they were engulfed in their own senses, dragged under by pain and thrown high by elation at the touch of moist skin on moist skin; a breath of each other, drawn out and celebrated in the feelings of beauty, nothing in this kiss was subtle; it was a masterpiece.

"Let's get out of here." Ginny whispered into Draco's chest, her breathing ragged as her feelings. _After all this time. _

"What did you read in my diary that brought you here?" He asked, looking down with his tender grey eyes that gently pushed the door open to her soul,

"Your parents were trying to cure the Mark."

"Ginny you could get them killed."

"They deserted, they're probably marked for death already. I offered them protection in return for a favour."

"They said yes?" Draco ignored the harshness in Ginny's tone as she spoke of certain death and gave her an incredulous look,

"Oh yes. They're braver than you think Draco." She added gently. Draco's eyes glazed over; Ginny hated that look, the one she couldn't break through.

"Braver than me." He whispered, "I hid, and people have died." Ginny took his face in her hands and pulled him roughly round to meet his gaze.

"I don't care." She said fiercely, "We've been brave once too often. We gave too much up. Let's go now, I don't want to be brave any more." Draco nodded and squeezed her hand. They aparated to a little hill in the middle of nowhere,

"Where are we Draco?"

"Near to the one place I try and call home, come on." He pulled her after him, "It's a little walk but I didn't want to apparate directly in case mum and dad decided they'd try and sell us to the Death Eaters. I guess I underestimate them." He added.

-*-

Draco felt a little nervous as he led Ginny towards the Château but she didn't hesitate so neither could he. He pushed open the grand double doors and Ginny gasped. The castle's interior was still set up for a child, the colours were random and psychedelic, almost headache causing, that a 6 year old Draco had proudly chosen. Every floor was carpeted with thick, luscious carpets and every wall was lined with a bookcase; there was a writing desk in nearly every corner.

"Yeah…um…" Draco muttered embarrassedly, "My diary was probably one of my better master pieces I created here."

"Oh Draco it's beautiful." Ginny was reminded of the room back at Hogwarts, the place she had longed for, could this house replace it for her?

"You are beautiful." Draco told her softly. Ginny laughed aloud,

"I'm not right now. I haven't washed my hair in…urgh! Too long. I haven't showered in flipping ages. I've been sleeping rough for days and days now. I hardly think I can look very glamorous." Draco place a hand on each hip,

"Frankly…I don't give damn." He pushed her back towards the nearest wall and tore kisses from her. Ginny responded with equal enthusiasm, drinking in every fibre of his being with lust. Draco lifted her with strong arms and Ginny wrapped her legs around Draco's waist.

"Make love to me." Draco whispered in her ear,

"Right here?" Ginny was only slightly taken aback, knowing what Draco was like with his random lovemaking in random places.

"Right here. Don't worry there's no one else to see, this house is mine." Draco kissed her deeply again, "It's ours."

-*-

After having sex, a long bath with more sex, a nap and a delicious meal from Draco's house elves Ginny felt up to sitting in front of the fire and listening to the radio. Draco paced as he tuned it, trying to find the hidden frequency.

"…It seems unclear why but the Dark Lord has found a new sport in rounding up Muggles and branding them with the Dark Mark, he targets small areas and villages near to wizarding communities, such as Ottery St Catchpole and especially Godric's Hollow…"

"Did you know this was happening?" Ginny asked across the space of the room to Draco's back, he turned around and faced her with a terrified look on his face; he nodded slowly. Ginny looked away briefly and listened back in to the radio,

"…News just in. Nobody is to go near to Ottery on Stoke as of this moment we have received a tip off that the Death Eaters are beginning to move in. Do no attempt to go there and if you are there we would advise you not to run-" Ginny heard the catch in George's voice and wondering why the name of the town was ringing alarm bells in her head,

"Mum and Dad!" She jumped up and knocked the radio to the floor, the signal was lost.

"Ginny I'm sorry. There's nothing-"

"Don't you dare Draco Malfoy!" Ginny practically screamed at him, snatching her wand from the table, "We're going to find Mum and Dad." She took the length of the room in four large paces and snatched Draco's hand; apparating to a safe distance outside Ottery on Stoke.

As soon as her feet hit frosty ground Ginny started to run, feeling the fire of adrenalin rush through her body, speeding her feet onwards. Draco was hot on her heels, terrified and enthralled by this powerful Ginny; who knew what she'd do. _This was what the Dark Lord meant. This is when she becomes powerful, when she's angry…she's more than a match for him; I hope. _Ginny skidded to a halt at the bottom of the hill leading into the village. She at least showed some caution and backed behind the cover of the trees, creeping closer to see what was going on.

"Ginny be careful." Draco hissed in her ear, following the line of Ginny's eyes and stifling a gasp. There was a gang of hooded figures moving from house to house. As far as Draco could tell they were banging on the doors, ordering the tenants out, searching the house and then leaving.

Then came the fateful house, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Tonks and Remus all stepped from the doorway, wands held high defiantly.

"Lower your wands."

"Then get out of my house." Lupin growled at them.

"You're the Werewolf aren't you? Dark Lord's rounding all of you up. You ought to be with him, or there'll be consequences."

"I would rather die than fight for your Lord." Lupin said loudly.

Then several things happened at once. There was a green flash, a body falling to the floor and screams and shouts erupted over the village, lights began to flash in every direction. It was all Draco could do to pull Ginny back, she was struggling hard, kicking, punching, anything to get him off.

"Let me go, let me go-"

"No! Ginny I can't let you die. There's nothing you can do for him."

"My parents!" She screamed hysterically.

"Ginny you can help them, but not like this."

"I can't! I want to fight- I want to kill them. They killed him and he was going to be married. I want to kill them!"

"I know, I know." He gripped her fiercely to his chest, through her desperate struggles and let her fight against his hold. When she was a little calmer she whispered into his chest,

"Take me to the Muggles."

"Where?"

"To see what He's using the Muggles for. Take me there now." Her voice was deadly cold and Draco aparated instantly, holding her. He hadn't realised he'd closed his eyes and when he opened them he was relieved to see they were a safe distance away from the action. Contrary to popular belief he'd secretly quite enjoyed history of magic and knew the name of a town near Godric's Hollow, Tourn Valley- predominantly Muggle population, small village, a few wizards live there from time to time, none are known Death Eaters. Ok so his history facts were limited to his Father's Death Eater history books but that didn't stop him enjoying it.

-*-

Ginny took Draco's hand and started along the valley they had appeared in.

"Where are we?" She whispered for some unknown force,

"Tourn Valley. It's mostly Muggles here." Ginny nodded in reply. She couldn't stop shivering with the hate and anger that was building inside her. How could they do this to people?

As they edged closer to the town Ginny felt hot sick burn in her throat. They didn't need to be all that close to see what was happening; Muggles were being herded like sheep by masks of terror that stood over them with wands, the odd body littering their path, they were being pushed into a line and branded, by Voldemort himself, with the Dark Mark. It caused the Muggles obvious pain and all of them were whimpering or swooning in the presence of magic and, although they couldn't see, Dementors; they were shivering and aware of their presence in their mind. Ginny's eyes welled with angry tears,

"This is all my fault." She said through gritted teeth,

"No Ginny, it's not-"

"Yes it is Dray. And we have to end their suffering." Draco didn't disagree, neither did he look past Ginny to the terrorising, he'd trained himself not to watch people suffer, it hurt too much. "We need to go home and figure this out. And if it comes to confronting Him, so be it, I wont go down without a fight."

And with a pop the pair vanished.


	9. Will you marry me?

**Author's Note: **Ginny and Draco are back together making their crazy plans....but can they last??

***

"So what do we know?" Ginny asked for the zillionth time, pulling the bed covers further up her body and glancing across at Draco,

"What indeed?" Draco replied wearily from the other side of the bed, reaching a hand to her more delicate one, "We've been over this so often and we've still got nowhere."

"Please!" Ginny snapped loudly and Draco started. She took a deep breath, "Sorry. Just one more time, for me." She added. He sighed _anything for Ginny. _

"So Voldemort went suspected I might not be the Key, that's why he's let you live so long, just in case. And so he took me to the Hidden City of Babylon, a place where no disguises work, every truth is revealed if you look close enough, it's actually terrifying…I found some things out about myself there- some scary things." He paused and thought, "We'd already taken over France at this point and Death Eaters were spreading out to Germany and Belgium. You have to understand, when the Death Eaters take a country it's not by force, at least not right away, they infiltrate quickly and cleverly and before you know it they're on the inside and the country falls to them with one word in the right place and one green flash. So then Voldemort saw what he was looking for and had me thrown in a prison. But what I do know is that before I left he found something else; that in the same place, at the same time of day with a powerful wizard time could be held apart, but not for long, if he fills the gap in time with his soul he'll be ripped apart before he can blink, but your soul is so grey- so indefinitely between the good and evil that the darkness in the gap can't figure it out, can't over balance it right away and you can hold open a rift for him to go through and destroy Harry. But that leaves a problem- getting back. He couldn't get back, he'd have to live his life again because things would have changed, obviously, so you're consumed and no longer needed to fill the gap, your body would burn. But that's not all. Your soul would remain being consumed and tortured forever, in that space of the world that should have been. What I don't understand is…you weren't born with the power, because Dumbledore knew about all this, this possibility and prevented it for as long as possible. When you were born he visited you and saw that you _were _very powerful- but he didn't see this." Ginny sighed and leaned back, looking at the ceiling and seeing the bland obviousness of everything,

"But that's just it…" She whispered, "Oh we're so blind. If we'd thought…I wasn't given Riddle's diary by accident. Voldemort knew, that a powerful witch had been born somewhere and because- this will sound crazy- but because his younger self had met an older me, his older self had been biding its time and waiting till the time line could be complete, he had to get me the diary in order to ever meet me, its like a self fulfilling prophecy. Because he gave me the diary he enabled his own original downfall."

"Ginny you've lost me."

"Don't you see? Voldemort marked me as his equal, and the person worthy of his love, so the part of him, Tom Riddle that was The Grey Soul, he transferred to me for safe keeping, if you like. But he didn't plan on Harry rescuing me. Because Riddle wasn't really going to kill me that night, he was going to freeze me, hold me, so I could keep the important part of his soul safe, without me he's just another powerful wizard. But I got away, with the soul inside me…he transferred the only part of him that was incorruptible into me- I am Him. Now he needs that part of him, in me, back to stop it all going wrong, I'm sure he originally intended to go back with the soul in himself if anything ever went wrong…he needed to kill people without the Grey Soul inside of him though, or he would have broken it."

"Ok so… It's in you?"

"Yes."

"How do we get it out?" Ginny faltered,

"I don't know." She whispered,

"We have to fight? Or is there a spell we can find? Or…" He trailed off,

"Draco…" Ginny said softly, "We could always just run away. Run and hide and let the Grey Soul die with Voldemort when Harry defeats him." Draco turned to her,

"You'd do that?"

"I said no once before. I'm not making the same mistake again. We could elope." She added excitedly,

"To where Gin? They've taken everywhere."

"Anywhere…Just anywhere Draco."

"Ok. We'll elope then. Another country, is there anywhere you've ever wanted to go? I'll take you." Draco's voice fed on her excitement and soon the pair were sat up, gripping hands with painful fire.

"Caribbean!" Ginny squealed,

"Caribbean it is. We'll start packing tomorrow."

-*-

At Grimauld Place Hermione and Ron sat well into the night, thinking of what needed to be done. Shortly after Remus' death Tonks had put up a fight and she too had died, this came as a huge blow to everyone and it was common knowledge they were running out of people to fight for them and the situation was now desperate.

"We know he's going to move to Godric's Hollow soon…there's not many places left to conquer. The country is at his feet, Muggle killing has become a sport, he's rounding up and branded every Muggle and Muggle born around and he's started trying to buy, threaten or kill people that are on our side. Hermione, we've got no choice."

"There has to be a way, Ron, there just has to. Ginny said not to-"

"Ginny's not here." Ron growled, "And in case she hasn't noticed, we're the adults here, we're the ones in charge. Well us and Percy. Where is he?"

"He went home to Tina, he's knows it's a risk." Hermione added the last looking at Ron's disapproving face, "But they wont trace much activity back to him, he's right under their nose, and right now that's not where they're looking." She sighed, "There has to be another way."

"Hermione there isn't. Don't you think I want to agree with you…I don't want to fight and I don't want to die-" His voice cracked and he came to stand over Hermione, he held out his arms for her and they shared a long embrace, "I want to stay safe with you and see our child grow up…"

"Our child?" Hermione raised her eyebrows and poked her stomach, "Hate to break it you love, this is flab not baby." Ron laughed,

"I know sweetheart, and it's not flab, it's lovely. But one day it will be our baby." Hermione smiled happily but Ron moved away from her to the other side of the room. He was shuffling and fiddling with something on the mantle piece,

"And hadn't planned it to be quite like this but, well, it's now or never isn't it?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione whispered to his back. Ron turned round to face her with the most tender and scared look she had ever seen him give her,

"Will you marry me?" Hermione stopped and gripped the table and for a moment Ron looked horrified, "Well, will you?"

"Yes!" She squealed, "Oh yes, yes, yes…a million times yes. Oh Ron, this is the most perfect thing that's ever happened to me. I love you."

"I love you too." He swept her up into a fierce hug and spun her around in the air, then when he finally dropped her it was to slip a delicate diamond ring onto her left hand, where it sat as if it was made for her.

A long time, and several kisses later Ron pushed Hermione's hair back from her forehead,

"Now, what were we saying about turning that flab into baby?" He whispered.

**_REVIEW PLEASE...will Ginny and Draco really elope? Can they bear to leave? Will Ron and Mione get their baby? Or will all Hermione's fears about 'the plans' come true?? _**

**_xxxlove alwaysxxx_**


	10. Chosing Separate Paths

**Author's Note: **aw its been a while, iv missed u guys :) sorry iv abandoned u, hopefully this short chapter will lead u into what will be the final countdown...testing ginny to the limit!!! xpleasereviewiloveyouallx

"Ginny are you sure you want to do this?" Draco looked at their packed suitcases and expectant Ginny and regretted ever mentioning that they could run away.

"Yes!" Ginny insisted, still smiling, "This is what we should have done years ago." Draco nodded and she smiled more, then he shook his head.

"You're wrong."

"Pardon?" Ginny rounded on him sharply, "What do you mean I'm wrong?"

"I mean we have to fight Ginny, do our duty."

"Our duty?" She squealed furiously, "Our duty? We did our effing duty for the last two years, we broke our hearts and now your saying we should do it again?"

"Yes." Draco replied evenly, "If you're the girl I love then you know we have to."

"Now you're wrong." Ginny turned away bitterly, her dream had just collapsed, quite dramatically, right before her eyes. "I'm not going to fight again, I'm not going to lose you-"

"Ginny you wont." Draco cut in loudly, she raised her eyebrows, hand poised in what would have been a comical way with underwear in, ready to be put in the suitcase. "I have something I- I should have told you earlier." He muttered. Ginny dropped her underwear and came to stand right in front of him, eyes imploring,

"What do you mean, Draco?" She begged,

"I mean if things ever got so bad that…I wouldn't let it happen." He shook his head and strode to a cabinet on the other side of the room, magically unlocking it with a movement of his hand. Ginny dashed after him and watched as he bent, removed a vial of purple liquid, and held it up to the light for her. "You see?"

"I see _it_. I don't see what you're trying to tell me though." She tapped her foot a little impatiently,

"I made this potion, so that if life ever got so bad for us, we would drink it and it would freeze our bodies and we'd stay imprisoned and hidden in this castle. We'd tell Hermione and when the time was right, when the world is one in which we can live together happily then she, or whoever she'd passed the secret to, would wake us up with the same potion and it would be reversed. We wouldn't have aged, we wouldn't have lost our love for each other."

"Oh Draco! Oh I love you." She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, "Yes! If it ever gets too bad then we will take it. Oh Dray." They kissed more and Draco managed to free a hand to place the bottle down on a nearby surface. When Ginny came up for air she glanced at the cupboard and asked, "What are those other potions in there?" Draco glowered,

"I wasn't exactly I happy child. I made lots of poisons and things, though I never would have used them, I was a coward. You made me brave." Ginny shook her head, he would never believe that he was brave but then, he didn't see himself through her rose tinted spectacles.

"Let's not fight though." She told him,

"I thought we just agreed-"

"I agreed not to run." She interjected, "I didn't agree that we would fight, can't we just let Harry defeat him and then we carry on life as normal? That's what was meant to happen." Draco sighed and thought about arguing, then decided he couldn't, it wasn't worth it. "Mmm…let's have sex." Ginny murmured into his neck, Draco kissed her roughly and laughed finally,

"Now those are the words I've been waiting to hear for hours."

-*-

Everyone who was capable, all the people they had ever known and could ever rely on were waiting in Grimauld place. Hermione looked to Ron, her brave fiancé, to direct them.

"We can't wait any longer," He insisted "If we move now we'll be less obvious under cover of night. We'll move directly to Godric's Hollow now and set up a defence. We have everyone here from Cho's house who is able to fight, those spread out across the country will join us at rendezvous points- we can do this! We have nearly 200 people willing to fight for us."

"Wait!" There was a scream from the door and everyone seemed to forget the security checks as a flustered Cho dashed forwards.

"What is it?" Hermione went straight to her friend.

"Harry!" She gasped, "They found a way out, they're going to Godric's Hollow. The students are safe in Hogwarts and everyone who can fight is leaving as we speak. I don't know how, but they managed to get out." Muttering sprang up all through the kitchen, hall and stairs where people had gathered. Hermione looked at Ron, who almost found it in him to smile.

"That's fantastic!" He roared and all the Weasley brothers jumped up,

"Here, here!" A hearty cry echoed through their ranks.

"Thank you Cho, we're going to join them now."

"I'm coming too." Cho told them decisively,

"Cho you can't!" Hermione cried, "You're carrying Harry's baby, what if- what if…?" She couldn't bring herself to end the sentence.

"I know." Cho gulped, "But I wouldn't have it any other way. You can't stop me." She added for Ron's benefit. "And if I don't make it, so be it, I will have seen Harry one last time- he wouldn't love me if I didn't fight, in the same way I wouldn't love him if he didn't and you and Hermione wouldn't be able to love each other any other way." There were nods and murmurs of agreement around the room. Everyone who was there, was there for a love of one kind or another.

"So…" With all the excitement Ron was struggling to form a plan, "We go to Godric's hollow via a few wizarding villages to free those still alive- my parents and others. And when we get there, which will be before the Dark Lord, we will join forces with Harry's troop and set up and all round defence, centred on the house in question, and we will stop Him." Towards the end it became less of a plan and more of a rousing speech and he knew from the faces around that they'd waited long enough.

-*-

"Draco don't you dare! Don't even think about it!" Ginny yelled down the stairs after him, then when he didn't stop she hurtled down and grabbed him roughly, "Don't even think about leaving me here, you can't go and fight, you'll be the first person he kills."

"That never stopped Potter."

"Oh what? Is this some kind of Macho-Match between you and Harry? Now you have to prove you're as much of a man as he is, or something?"

"No. You're being ridiculous." Ginny knew she was but it didn't bother her.

"Ok, what if they're not still at Grimauld Place?"

"Then they'll be some sign of where they're marching to."

"Oh and where do you think that will be?" She asked sarcastically.

"I think it's Hogwarts- to free Harry and end the war."

"Please, they would _never _go there, they wouldn't want to endanger Hogwarts and its students ever again. They'll have gone to confront Tom directly and take the ministry; if we're going to go anywhere we should be going there."

"We? I thought you were staying here, not fighting." Draco scoffed,

"Yes, but if I have to then I'll come with you to the ministry to fight with you all."

"Well _I'm _going to Hogwarts, you can go where you want Ginnerva." And with a pop Draco had vanished.

"Damn it." Ginny said louder than she expected, making a nearby house-elf jump. She ran full tilt upstairs to get dressed, she was going to the Ministry, where she knew they'd be, to prove to Draco she was still Ginny who could fight.


	11. Collison Course

**Author's Note: **Hello my beautiful readers...please review, otherwise i have one thing to say....The End Is Nigh!!!

Pop! Draco appeared on the stop step of Grimauld Place; he hadn't been here since before he'd found Ginny again. Carefully he pushed open the door, wand drawn, expecting anything. But what he found was nothing. The place was cold as he moved, slowly, through to the kitchen.

"Fire's out. Damn." He muttered, bending down and putting his hand over the ashes. They were stone cold. Draco glanced around for a note, or a clue, anything that had been left to tell him where they'd gone. "Come on Mione, you're clever, please have left something." He checked all the rooms downstairs and then swore loudly.

"So where now Draco?" _Ginny, Ginny, Ginny…_She was his direction, he was so lost without her. _No I'm not, I'm fine. _"To Hogwarts then, that's where they'll be."

-*-

Pop! Ginny glanced around, thankful she'd aparated under the cover of trees. When she thought everything was quiet she crept forwards slowly, sticking close to the ground. Ginny was shocked that there was no guards around here, no wizards, no Death Eaters; then it hit her.

She broke cover and ran over to the 'broken' telephone box that marked the entrance. It had been totally vandalised- and not stupid Muggle vandalism either- it had clearly been marked with the sinister Death Eater graffiti, the glass was smashed in, and metal had been torn away at the sides leaving huge gouges.

"Bugger!" They had clearly left; this base had shut down. Ginny was stumped for ideas; she'd thought it was all going down at the Ministry but no one was here, there was clearly something more important going on elsewhere if they'd entirely abandoned this place and had no intention of returning. "I wish I was clever," She whispered to herself. They had moved somewhere, and Ginny was sure it wasn't Hogwarts. Where could it be?

-*-

Draco walked like a ghost, closer and closer to the main hall. He pushed open the doors, to the sound of groaning wood, and looked at the echoing hall the pale light shed. It was the picture of isolation- it wasn't Hogwarts.

"They've gone." He whispered. Even the paintings were asleep and he knew, by instinct, that they wouldn't wake if he called. One might though, maybe if he went to the Head Master's office and found Phineas Nigellus then he might wake up, just for a Slytherin. _It's pointless, none of them will wake, it's a spell. _And if there were any students left they'd be well hidden in case the Death Eaters came knocking. "Damn." He slammed his fist into a nearby door. Suddenly there was a squeak and a scuttle. Draco spun around to see a small, frightened house-elf shuffling across the floor in front of him, towards the kitchens. "Hey!" The house elf glanced back and only shuffled faster, "Hey, come back." Draco made to follow and this time the elf pretended not to hear, head down, moving as quickly as it could. Draco caught up and managed to grab its fragile wrist, "Listen to me, I need your help. Where did they go? Are they here?" The house elf shook its head fervently, it's huge ears flapping from side to side. "Where are they?"

"You hurt them." He forced out in a shaky whisper, pressing his eyes shut. "You're a Death Eater." Draco was exasperated and also horrified.

"No, I'm not a- I'm not one of those. I want to help Harry." The elf shook his head again desperately pulling on Draco's grip. "_Please!_" He added, at his wits end. The elf stopped struggling and squinted up at him but said nothing. Then it fell into place. "Tell me they didn't…" He whispered, "Please, tell me they didn't go to Godric's Hollow…did they?" He asked the tiny creature. It gave a shaky, yet definite nod and then squealed and ran as Draco finally relinquished hold. "Oh bugger." He whispered.

-*-

Ginny sat with her back to the phone box, pressing herself to this relic of the 'good old days'. Not that they had ever been the 'good old days', not really. Even then she'd wanted to get out, wanted more, then when she'd got more the consequences had always been terrible, right now she was sitting in one of her own consequences; the consequence of her stupidity. She trailed her fingers across the rough, dirty pavement, _after all _she thought, _whoever said this was going to be easy; I just wish at some point it might start going that way, instead it keeps getting harder. _She looked down at herself, her ragged tired form, dirty clothing, slumped like a street urchin against the telephone box and sighed; she'd turned into a woman without even noticing, yet she was still trailing around picking up the pieces of her child hood disasters, when would she be free?

Then something slowly began to niggle in her brain. She'd been reliving her days with Tom over and over for the last 48 hours and now something rather terrifying was surfacing, bubbling panic through her body. She jumped up and looked around wildly, inwardly begging for help that never came. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Tom Riddle …everyone…every single person, except perhaps Draco, was now on a collision course. Two oblivious armies were making there way right to the same place and neither had any idea the other would be there, their destination; Godric's Hollow. And she, Ginny Weasley, had to stop them somehow.

Pop!


	12. And that's how I died

**Author's Note: **Be prepared....this is epic :P LOL much love as always....**review! **

Ginny aparated to the hilltop. From her vantage point she could see everything she didn't want to. In the small village below her havoc was reigning with a passion; everywhere she could see flashes of light, green and red, and she could hear screaming even from up here. She didn't think twice before she ran full tilt down the hill and into the fray.

What she saw as she skidded into the village was not the heroic and epic battle for life and death that she had been expecting. It was more a mass culling of the 'good side' by the death eaters. Everywhere she looked bodies were falling to the floor, Death Eaters were overpowering crowds of hopeless witches and wizards; yet she didn't stop. _I'm coming for you Tom, you're going down! _

"Ginny!" A terrible yell pierced the air in front of her and Ginny froze. There was Cho, why on earth she was here Ginny had no idea, but she was struggling, sobbing and screaming, in the clutches of a Death Eater.

"Come and get her then, the Dark Lord's little heroine." The hooded figure that had her leered and then spat on the floor. Ginny couldn't stop herself; she rushed forwards, pulling out of her cage of despair and lunging for the struggling couple.

"Ginny no!" Cho's desperate scream echoed off the buildings, "It's a trap. No! Ginny no!" But she was deaf to it all. No one hurt people in her name and got away with it. She pelted down the streets after the death eater and her friend, her friend that was carrying a very precious load in her womb right now; Ginny prayed silently that Cho and Harry's baby was ok.

She ground to halt as the man dragged Cho towards a group of prisoners- that group included Harry, Ron and Hermione- Ginny felt her heart fall away from her body. She saw Tom in the middle, calling to her, sickeningly,

"Ginny my precious, my little love, please come out Gin…come out and play." He laughed crazily, sending shivers down her spine. Adrenalin was pulsing through her veins rendering her brain useless, she knew she couldn't stay still much longer, she'd do something stupid, but if she moved then she'd have to confront Voldemort, and she had no guarantee that she'd come out of that alive. Then she made a break for it; her only hope.

-*-

"Argh!" Bellatrix cried out in surprise and fear as she went down. She had been stood unprotected and unaware, now she knelt, shaking a little, with Ginny's wand pointing at the side of her head.

"Now listen to me!" She yelled loudly, feeling like a mad woman and she didn't care. Tom span round, eyes wide with shock and almost horror. Ginny was distracted. "You _care _for her? You actually care? Your standards have dropped…she's not me Tom. I can't believe after all this time-" She let out a harsh laugh, jabbing Bella in the side of the head playfully and loving how Tom flinched. "So let's see you do what I say, or I will kill her." Now it was Voldemort's turn to laugh,

"Haven't you learnt yet…?" His voice sneered and Ginny panicked, knowing she was losing control of the situation fast.

"Crucio!" She screamed, hearing her own fear and panicking, but loving seeing Bella writhe under her wand, crying out in agony. Tom lunged forward then snatched himself back, real pain on his face too. "You're weak!" Her lungs burnt with the effort of everything she was doing, her voice scraping its way out her throat.

"Enough!" Tom seemed to pull himself up as he roared. Quicker than Ginny could think, certainly quicker than she could react, there was a jet of light heading right for her. _Oh. _Was all she could think, she even briefly wondered what spell he might have cast.

"No!" A strangled yell brought Ginny from her reverie, she looked around wildly for who had screamed; it was Narcissa Malfoy. And Ginny wasn't dead.

"What?" She whispered, looking down at herself, feeling her tears, in shaky disbelief. Then she knew why Mrs Malfoy had cried. "Lucious!"

Somehow, she didn't know how, Mr Malfoy's body was a crumpled heap in front of her sobbing self. He'd jumped in front of the spell for her.

"I don't…" Tom stuttered in disbelief and then let a cruel smile spread. "He was weak. He took a spell for you?" His eyes snapped to Ginny, narrowing his eyes to slit. "Why you, my pet?" She felt nauseous as he dared to call her that.

"You…know…why." She managed to force through gritted teeth, "It's what you would have done."

"Let me go!" Someone else broke free from the crowd in a flurry of blonde hair and threw herself on top of Mr Malfoy's body. "Lucious! My husband, my darling, my husband…" She sobbed raggedly. "You!" She spat, turning on Voldemort, who was too shocked by this defiance to even move. "You killed him!" Her voice was hoarse and slightly manic. Bella and Ginny watched horrified, momentarily ceasing their struggle to watch in terror as Narcissa launched herself towards the Dark Lord, wand outstretch, a curse half formed on her lips.

"No!" Ginny screamed desperately, _no, no, NO! _"Narcissa!" But it was already far too late.

"Anyone else?" Tom screamed, his thirst and excitement for the death showing on his face as he waved his wand round wildly. "How many more are you going to have die for you Ginny Weasley? Let them come, you know they can't stop me." He laughed, an out of control and terrifying laugh.

"What about her?" Ginny threw back, "Your poor taste in woman could die here, do you feel that Tom? Show me you feel." She wondered what she sounded like, she loved the power but her own words were scaring her. Were her and Tom so different, in their thirst for battle? She yanked Bella to her feet using a matt of her hair, jabbing her harder with the wand. "One little word Tom…just one simple curse, don't think I wouldn't- NO!" Her scream echoed all around the square they stood in and it tore her to hear it bouncing back to her eyes, "Please!" She let out a desperate, pleading yelp.

-*-

Draco stood strong even though he was clearly terrified, he allowed his eyes to meet Ginny's and shook his head once. Voldemort had him, wand-less and defenceless and Ginny knew that he would kill him in a second without reason or remorse- she'd never felt terror as true as this.

"Now who's weak?" He whisper carried louder and clearer than his scream, piercing sharper than a knife; definite.

"It's not weakness." Ginny forced out, letting go of Bella in her momentary panic and lunging forward.

"Not so fast!" Bella was on her feet and lethal once more. "Avad-" She flourished her wand threateningly and aimed it for Draco's heart. Ginny's own stopped, caught in his grey, haunting eyes for a brief millisecond. She ran faster than she'd ever run in her life. She heard several cries of 'NO!', one might even have come from her mouth, but what she noticed most was the green light, the eerie rushing and the slow realisation. It dawned on her just as her body came into line with the spell, she heard her own blood racing through her body for the last time and she knew that as the spell collided-

"-a Kedavra!"

She knew she was dead.

((WARNING: this is NOT the end))


	13. There's a next?

**Author's Note: **You thought Ginny was powerful before...check this out.... 3 **please review** you guys make me soo happy!!!

***

It took a moment before Ginny knew she was breathing.

"I'm alive?" It was a serious question, she had no idea, and she received no answers. Then she found her eyes were open, and everyone was exactly where they'd been a second ago before the spell had hit.

The thing was, they were frozen.

It was as though a lock was around her. She could move, a little, but not far from the spot where she stood, the green beam suspended eerily in front of her ready to take her. Draco- his face a picture of pain and anguish- was still frozen; crumpled behind her shielding stance. No one, not even Bella in her maniacal half-cursing form, was able to move, or hear, or even was aware that Ginny was alive. She came to the conclusion that time had somehow, and god knows how, frozen in the moment before she died.

"Hello." Ginny's eyes snapped into focus.

"Holy crap!" She was staring at herself, "You're…how are you….no…you can't be, what, I mean how the- what are you?" She babbled, desperately trying to pull herself together as she looked her exact double.

"I'm you." Ginny gasped, then her eyes narrowed slightly. If she wasn't dead, well, then she was up for believing anything, but there was something wrong.

"No you're not…" She said slowly. "Your eyes are darker, your hair is darker, you're a little taller than me and you don't have any freckles." Ginny thought it was necessary to point these things out. The _thing _smiled.

"No you're right." She lowered herself to the floor, crossed her legs and tucked her hair behind her ears. "But I _am _a part of you. Not a part you were ever meant to have." Ginny too dropped to the floor; she reached her arm out to find it went right through the thing in front of her.

"You're not real." She insisted,

"Then how are you talking to me?" Ginny shrugged and stared at the floor,

"A part I wasn't meant to have?"

"A part Tom Riddle hid inside you. Now I am out, it's your choice about what happens next." Ginny swallowed hard,

"There is a next?"

"Oh yes, you're not dead yet, not for a few seconds anyway. A few seconds of their time." She waved a hand at the frozen spectators. "So what happens to me and you and all of them is now your call."

"Bugger."

-*-

Ginny was silent for quite a while.

"So you are a part of Tom?"

"And a part of you." Ginny paused and her brain began to slowly tick back into action,

"Can you…die?" The thing that looked like her let a slow smile creep onto her face,

"Now you're getting the idea." Ginny held her head.

"If I didn't jump, they would have killed Draco-"

"You wouldn't have let it happen. You'd never 'not' have jumped." She looked at herself in slight annoyance.

"I'm not seeing the positive- in, how ever long, this few seconds will end, I'll stand back up and put myself between the jet of light and Draco and then bang, flash, sound of rushing wind and no more Ginny." She frowned, meeting eyes with her second self. "Now I really think I am getting it." She whispered. "We stand up, we jump in front of the beam of light and-," She faltered. "We die?" The spirit-Ginny stood up and looked down at her. She turned to face the beam of light.

"It'll hit me first wont it?" She turned back and raised an eyebrow.

"You're spirit." Real-Ginny was exasperated. She stood up and punched a fist right through spirit-Ginny's stomach, "The spell will go right through you. Unless you can explain something I don't know."

"What has Harry told you about how his mum died?"

"She used herself as a shield so Harry couldn't die. Oh…" She sucked breath in sharply, "You'd do that for me?"

"I am you. Course I would." They exchanged an identical smile.

"That just leaves me with the small problem of me and Draco and everybody else defenceless and Voldemort and Bellatrix bearing down upon us. Wow, that's depressing." Ginny's smile waned a little.

"Think Ginny, think." Her other-self's voice became more commanding, reminding her a little of her late headmaster. She told herself to think like Dumbledore and Harry, always a plan, always a key bit of information…always something that Tom Riddle had over looked; and above all, always-

"Love! That's just it: love. He loved me when he gave me himself, gave me us…" The other-Ginny nodded excitedly, and Ginny began to see that it reflected whatever feelings were her own, it wasn't real at all. "So if you die then…"

"Kill the heart. No heart, no beat, no life and that basically means no Voldemort." Ginny sighed,

"But you're a metaphorical heart, that can't really work, can it?"

"This is magic. Everything 'works' if you believe hard enough. Are you ready?" Ginny barely had time to catch her breath,

"Ready? For what?" But time was coming back and the thing in front of her was no more than a mirage. The scene around her wobbled for a fraction of a second and she was numb with fright; Ginny saw the jet of green burst back into life with a scream. Everything else around her was so noisy it was painful and all she could do was yell her best hope,

"PROTEGO!" Her lungs itched for lack of breath and there was a second of stillness before the explosion. Ginny's arms were wide, stood sacrificial, in front of Draco's helpless body. "Oh my god…" She whispered.

-*-

After the stillness there was a burst of light, like another sun had exploded into being, radiating right from Ginny. Her hair flew back like it always did after a powerful spell, and she felt a nice rush than she'd been expecting. Then she laughed. Just as she caught Bella's shocked, horrified face as the green spell hit its first, unintentional target. Her 'audience' gave a unified gasp. The other-Ginny appeared in front of her, she was her own shield, a white, glowing, patronus-like force that that absorbed the green and turned it golden. A beautiful, exciting mystery that caught everyone spellbound, even Ginny. Then other-Ginny and Tom, in unison, let out an identical and horrifying scream that Ginny felt torn from her own heart. She'd never burnt or hurt this badly as all three fell to the floor.

Only one of the three managed to rake in a breath again. Other Ginny lay crippled in an odd pile on the floor, Tom sprawled, still looking shocked at defeat, his face said; _it can't be! _And Ginny, through all her agony, amazement, horror and elation felt a realisation.

"It can be…" She hadn't meant to say it out loud. She looked at the strange phenomenon that was herself dead before her. "I'm even more powerful than I thought."

"Ginny?" A very shaky Draco was getting up behind her. He raised a curious hand and laid it on Ginny's arm. "Gin, you're impossible."

The sight of his stunningly grey eyes made her own cry as she gently touched his face, disbelieving. "And you're alive." She could finally sigh.


	14. The Final Cure

**Author's Note: **You've all been amazing!! Thanks so much for your support and love, you cant imagine how much it means. But Final Stand is, finally, over....This Ginny and Draco saga is officially over....!!!! *cries* **REVIEW PLEASE! **

***

1 month later.

"Draco come on, you've been in the bathroom for like an hour." Ginny clicked her tongue impatiently and smoothed the wrinkles from her frock, looking critically in the mirror. Only Hermione and Ron's wedding rehearsal dinner could have possibly persuaded her out of her jeans and t-shirt and into something suitably girly. She giggled absently as she remembered Hermione and Cho forcing her to at least try one of Lavender's old dresses on. Cho had changed her rehearsal dress at least three times in the last month and had had to have several alterations to her final bridesmaid's dress due to the ever swelling 8-month bump she now carried around- Harry was convinced it was twins. Ginny just thought it was going to be a fat baby.

"Draco!" She whined, well aware that if she was late to rehearsal the bride would have a fit and she'd make a scene in front of, literally, zillions of people. Eventually enough was enough, Ginny went to the bathroom door and pushed it open. "Just how long can you shower for?"

Ginny gasped in horror. Draco was slumped against the edge of the shower, water dripping from his half clothed body. The shower was flooding the room. He gripped the shower side with one, white knuckled, hand and was clutching at his chest with the other. It took Ginny a moment of sick hesitation to react. She dashed forward and stepped over Draco, feeling the shower spray begin to seep through her clothes as she fumbled to turn it off.

"Draco what's wrong? What is it? Speak to me…" She slapped his face hard and pulled it to look directly at her, "God damn it Draco!" His eyes drifted in and out of focus; she slapped him again.

"It's the mark Ginny. It's­-" He sucked his breath in sharply. "My parents, they never found the cure 'cause there isn't one. It's a time bomb." Ginny's mind raced on fire.

"What? What are you talking about?" Desperately she clutched to any piece of his skin she could reach, pressing close to his dripping body.

"Voldemort wasn't as stupid as he seemed. If he ever died, then everyone with the Mark died with him. That's his last joke," Draco gave a harsh laugh, "Why he needed so many…why he ever regained strength in the first place…he…he was sucking the life out of us."

"No!" Ginny yelled. "Draco I'll help you, I'll-"

"Shhh love, shhh." He put a finger to her lips and stroked her face, the pain etched out in his feeble expression was more than she could bare. "Just help me get to the other room."

"No Draco, you're going to be fine, don't give up on me, not now." Her face was already wet with tears that were choking her voice. "Not after everything we've been through."

"Ginny…" His face screwed up with the agony. "Just get me into the other room first. Then we'll go from there."

Slowly, agonisingly slowly, Ginny helped Draco inch by inch to their double bed in their hotel room. The couple collapsed in a heavy-breathing pile of pain and clung to each other.

"Draco what can I do?" Ginny whispered, letting him stroke her hair.

"I don't know Gin, I just don't know. I can feel myself going- damn I'm scared." His breath quickened and Ginny hurriedly rolled over and began to kiss his lips softly,

"Don't be." Kiss, "Don't be scared." Kiss, "We're going to be together forever," Kiss. "No," Kiss, "Matter," Kiss, "What." Draco nodded and they kissed more, gently, Ginny terrified of how fragile he seemed. Then she had an idea.

"Wait." She jumped up from the bed with a sudden burst of energy, flinging her hair back out of her face. "I've got to tell the others,"

"No Gin, don't make a scene." Draco struggled to lift himself up a little, Ginny darted back over to him,

"Shh, lie still. They might be able to help, someone must be able to do something, to start working on a cure. Dray…" She fought hard against the tears and the overwhelming urge to panic. "And Hermione's your sister, she should be with you."

"Ginny it's her wedding rehearsal, this isn't the time." But Draco's call was lost to a door slam as Ginny raced from the room. He slowly pulled himself across the bed and reached for Ginny's notebook and a pen- he owed them this much at least. Then began the hardest thing he'd ever had to do since they day he walked away from Ginny.

Ginny skidded to a halt at the bottom of the hotel stairs, not caring about how odd she must look; wearing her dress but still with no shoes on and her hair half-way curled. She hesitated, teetering between dashing out to the garden and pushing her way through the crowd to try and find Mione in the dining hall. She didn't get a chance to make her choice however, as a very round and rosy looking Cho came striding towards her, hair wound up in a chignon, dress flowing delicately around her knees. Her expression was one of excitement and semi-annoyance, she called out, one hand resting securely on 'Bump Potter'.

"Ginny!" She hailed her over and Ginny didn't hesitate. Cho's expression turned to confusion, "You're not even dressed yet Gin- What's wrong?" Now she saw the urgency, the panic in Ginny's eyes as she shifted from foot to foot.

"Where's Mione?"

"She's right through there. But why?" Cho pointed to the crowded hall behind her and Ginny began to shove her way through the melee. Cho was hot on her heels,

"Ginny." She warned. "Ginny what's happened?"

"Mione! It's Draco," She added. "Hermione." At last she spotted her through a gap between two peoples' elbows, gliding around simply glowing, engagement ring glinting and her rehearsal dress light and unassuming- nothing like the stunning wedding dress Ginny and Cho were helping her to make. "Hermione." Behind her Cho was a picture of worry as she grabbed Ginny's arm,

"Ginny Weasley, stop! Is this going to ruin Hermione's day?" The older girl was deadly serious.

"Yes." She told her honestly, and in shock Cho let go of her arm. "Mione you've got to come." Ginny reached her almost-sister-in-law and clutched at the side of her dress, trying to pull her along. "It's Draco," Hermione was confused, looking from Cho to Ginny and then casting around for Ron.

"Ginny what's happening? Slow down sweetie,"

"No you've got to come!" She couldn't convey her urgency enough, "Draco's dying." With that Ginny broke free, away from the crowd and ran back up the stairs, cursing as she tripped and laddered her tights. In the hall Cho was trying to keep up with Hermione's frantic search for the boys, all wedding plans forgotten, they realised the emergency.

"Draco, are you ok?" Ginny burst into the room, letting the door fall behind her with a slam.

"I'm still here love." He looked weak but he was at least standing, propped up a little on the bed. Ginny ran to his arms and pressed herself against his chest,

"Thank god, if you'd gone before I could say…" She began to cry again and looked up at his face wildly, "Don't leave me Dray, please don't leave me all alone."

"I promise sweetheart." He kissed the top of her head and tangled his fingers in her hair, clutching her to his chest.

"The others are on their way." This snapped Draco into action,

"Then we don't have much time."

"What? But I- they're coming, they'll help. Wont they?" Her eyes were wide, lashes heavy with tears.

"You remember I told you about this potion Gin?" Ginny took a second to remember as she stared at the phial.

"Yes, yes, that's the one that will freeze us until-"

"Until the world was one where we could be together, forever." He finished for her, gripping her arm tightly.

"Until there's a cure."

"Until the mark has worn off."

"Until people accept our love." The list could go on. "Do it." Her eyes compelled him,

"You're sure this is what-"

"Sure as I love you, sure as the day turns to night, Draco Malfoy I want us to take that potion, and be together forever." She looked wild and beautiful.

"God I love you Ginny, and I'm so glad-" He stopped as he heard footsteps and raised voices drawing closer. "I'm so glad we found each other and that you are mine, for eternity."

"Quick," Ginny urged, poised on tip toes, ready to kiss away the liquor from his lips. Draco fumbled, uncorked the bottle and threw aside the lid. He gave Ginny one last, nervous, smile and then downed it in one. The effect was fast. Draco began to buckle, his breath constricted, his vision blurring.

"I love you!" Ginny cried as she grabbed her head in her hands and kissed him roughly. The taste was bitter but she refused to break off the kiss, ignoring the pain and only feeling the rough of his moist tongue rolling over hers.

It was over too soon.

-*-

Hermione and Harry tumbled through the door together, stopping short in shock at what they saw, Ron crashing into the back of them, and Cho panting up a few seconds later.

"He killed her!" Ron yelled, angry beyond belief. "He was dying so he had to kill her, bastard!" He was beside himself on the floor by the body of his beautiful little sister, clutching her and shaking her a little, refusing to believe it, "Ginny, Ginny please."

"Ron." Tears were flooding Hermione's face as she bent down and held Ron by the shoulders, kissing his back, "It's alright sweetie, darling, it's ok, she's ok." Harry stepped around their tearful embrace and laid a sad hand on Ginny's head, stroking the soft hair off her face and placing a little kiss atop her forehead. Cho hovered by the door, keeping watch for people coming, unsure how to react except to cry silently. Harry moved to Draco and gently shifted him to a less awkward position, it was all the affection he could manage for his dead-ex-enemy. Then he noticed the phial in Draco's hand.

"Death or suicide?" He asked the other two. Both looked up, shocked, Mione crawled closer across the floor and took it, sniffing the top. She shrugged,

"I don't recognise it," She passed the little bottle to Ron, who found the cork and replaced it, holding the thing gingerly as though it was a time bomb.

Hermione looked around, she saw another clue. "Harry, check it." She muttered and Harry snatched up the letter the second he saw it.

"Oh," He mused, handing it reluctantly over to Hermione, "It's addressed to you."

"Draco's writing," She nodded, taking the thing and holding it delicately.

"Open it." Ron urged, he needed the truth about how his younger sister had died.

Hermione put the letter down on the bed and faced them with tear stains carved in her cheeks.

"My poor brave Draco, my poor brave Ginny." She whispered. "They never told me but they made a potion…"

She explained all about the potion and the idea behind it, but slowly shook her head when she saw the hope shining in Ron's eyes.

"No sweetheart, the potion is here," She held up a smaller phial that had been concealed within the envelope. "Draco switched the potion, they drunk poison, they're dead."

"What?"

"Why?"

"They could have lived."

"No, they couldn't." She told them sadly, helping Ron to his feet. "That mark was going to kill Draco, there was never going to be a cure, it was impossible. He told Ginny the potion would let them freeze in sleep and then wake when the world was one in which they could live and love forever, but that world will never exist. Draco knew it. There was never going to be acceptance for them, even if there was a cure, the scar of the mark would haunt their love. He didn't lie to her," She insisted, "Ginny trusted him, and he did the right thing. He preserved their love, took her to a better place where they could be together forever." Hermione had to stop speaking, stop justifying her brother's actions, because her heart couldn't take any more before it broke for them.

-*-

"You sure this is right?" Harry looked doubtfully around the tower room; it was a terrible ghost. It was a ghost of days gone by in Hogwarts, the days where they occupied the castle, fought, learnt and loved within its walls, this room hadn't changed one bit since Ginny had magically locked it. Hermione nodded firmly and Cho gave a slight smile too, that was her approval as she backed into Harry's waiting arms.

"Ginny," Hermione began, leaning into Ron's embrace, supporting each other. She addressed the two bodies lying on the four poster bed. "You sealed off this room so that when the fight was over and Draco came back to you, you could come back here. No one's been able to touch it since. It's not quite how you planned is it love? But you are both back here at last, together, and I hope you're happy." Her voice was thick with emotion.

"Bye Gin." Ron whispered huskily.

"Goodbye." Cho squeezed Harry's arm, it was his turn to say goodbye.

"I'm glad you found each other. Thanks for dying for me." He cleared his throat, "I'm sorry it had to be this way, but I think you'd be happy that you ended up back here. And I think I should give you this," The other three looked at him quizzically. Harry pulled from his robe pocket the diary that had started the love between Ginny Weasley and Tom Riddle, so long ago. The two lovers were so perfect in each others' arms that Harry couldn't bring himself to put it between them, so he lay it on the bedside table, next to Ginny's head; just in case she should ever wake and want to read it again. "Goodbye."

Hermione locked the door and pointed her wand at the key, thinking for a moment before she recited the spell. _Ah well, I think I can safely destroy it, if they ever do wake up- because knowing them they will, they've over come everything else, why not death?- if they ever do, then I think Ginny is more than powerful enough to break the door down. _And with a poof, the key was gone, as the four teary survivors left to find their own lives.


	15. THANKYOU pleaseread!

_I can't believe we're here at last…at the end! It's slightly shocking._

For those who don't know I have always had the end in mind, planned, since I first started this story, and it's been a very long time coming, as you will know if you've supported me from the beginning. I'm kind of relieved it's over, but very sad. And also extremely thankful; to everyone of you. Because every single reader makes my day every time I sign into FanFiction :D I love you all to death!!

**Final Stand has 1942 hits...and counting**

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I'm overwhelmed !!! 

"I just want to give one personal shout out and LOVE to someone who always reviews every chapter and continually supports me, always has something nice to say! I am very grateful. This fanfic-er has followed this story right from the start with Forgiven Forgotten Forbidden and right through till the end of Final Stand. Wow. Thanks so much, my best reviewer, Snowfire81!!"

To all the people who have added this story to their favourites list…wow! I am extremely honoured!

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Much happiness and thanks to those who feel this story, or me as an author deserves to be on their alert list! It's incredible to think people want to be emailed when I've written something :O lol

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I wont list them all but I am now on the Favourite Author list of 15 people, and the Author Alert list of 20…to you all, MUCH LOVE! 3

If you've reviewed then you deserve another medal, I am so grateful and love every one of you to pieces, your reviews make my day 

*Snowfire81

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Just to recap…

We've gone from this:

"Oh I don't think so." Ginny took a step towards him and raised her hand warningly, he just looked at her stupidly. The girl sighed, then mustered her strength and slapped him hard around the face. He staggered. A red patch appeared on his cheek and Draco smirked approvingly, little Weasel wasn't as gormless as her brothers then. And she was a darn sight better looking. Long red hair pulled into a ponytail with just a little framing her face at the front, her shirt undone perhaps one button to far for someone with such nice breasts and her loose hanging tie only accented this. She raised her eyebrows sceptically, noticing his gaze, and he blushed and looked away. _Blood Traitor and good for nothing the lot of them…but nice legs all the same. _He shook himself and glanced around for Pansy, covering up for his moment of self-treachery by slinging a casual arm around her waist. Ginny made a gagging motion to her friends and shut the door firmly behind the gang of retreating Slytherines.

To this…

"Will you cool it Hermione? I need to talk to you without it becoming world news. And I swear to you now, I have not played Ginny." Hermione didn't look convinced and took a step towards him threateningly. Draco raised his hands in hurried surrender.

"Hermione you're my sister."

"Pardon?" She spluttered "Are you INSANE? You total prat. How dare you suggest such a load of…well…frankly such a load of balls! I am an only child and so are you. For god's sake Malfoy you've gone mad." He had to laugh, he didn't mean to, but the stinging sensation after a satisfying smacking noise told him he shouldn't have done it. Rubbing his check he continued.

Not surprisingly, this…

Draco pulled off his shirt and threw it aside; moving to stand directly over her and brushing her hair back from her face. He pushed her down to the bed. Kissed her once on the mouth and then knelt onto the bed with her, letting his moist lips trace her neck so lightly they might not have been there, his left hand caught in her hair, ruffling it wildly; the way he liked it most. Ginny felt something strange and new rise within her; unable to control it she let the feeling take her body over.

…

Ginny felt Draco's hand move to her thigh, opening her legs wider and holding her still, his grip so fierce it bruised. He teased her for as long as he could bear, listening to her moans with relish, until she growled

"Don't you _dare _stop!" and he could resist no longer.

Two bodies joined to become one.

…

"Do you realise how like Romeo and Juliet this is?"

"Like who?"

"Romeo and Jul- Oh! Of course it's a Muggle story you wont have read it."

She dashed over to her bookshelf and pulled down a red leather bound book from the highest shelf. "Here you go, read it. I know you like books. Charlie always read this to me as a kid, it's beautiful."

"Gin, if it's a Muggle how come you got it read to you?"

"I don't know I guess…how did Charlie get it? …Oh hang on…" She opened the cover and found a name pencilled on the inside. "Yeah, I thought so. Charlie got it from his old girlfriend. She was a Muggle."

Inevitably this…

Ginny waited just a moment, let him leave the room before her. She knew it was over now. Hogwarts had held its breath long enough; it was time they showed the world how strong their love was. What she was about to give up…unthinkable. She followed Draco exactly in step, watching his back longingly and wishing with every fibre of her being that things were different. Everyone had poured into the entrance hall to watch. Ginny knew that Harry, Hermione and Ron were waiting somewhere, but she didn't want to see them. She followed Draco to the door as the silent crowd parted.

Not once did he look back as he walked stiffly towards the Dark Lord and Ginny was glad; she could never have let him go alone otherwise. Then, as her heart died, she began to notice things again. Draco's image had faded into the dawn along with the other Death Eaters, but there was still crying around her, still pain, still grieving. There were still people dying or in danger of dying and much repairing to be done.

Back to a new beginning…

After dinner Ron was washing up and Ginny drying when she first heard an odd noise.

"Ron what's that?"

"Huh?"

"Ssshh!" She put down her tea towel and moved to the window, peering into the darkness. An odd glowing seemed to coming from the end of the garden, as her as adjusted she saw it was a shape moving towards them.

"What are you doing?" Ron cried in alarm, but Ginny merely shushed him again and opened the back door, stepping into the garden. Behind her she heard hurried footsteps and urgent whispering, then Hermione was at her side. As the shape drew closer Ginny grew very pale. It was the eerie silver form of a patronus; a wolf. A patronus so chokingly familiar she could have cried

Defeated Voldemort and it all came to this, the perfect Romeo and Juliet ending!

"Quick," Ginny urged, poised on tip toes, ready to kiss away the liquor from his lips. Draco fumbled, uncorked the bottle and threw aside the lid. He gave Ginny one last, nervous, smile and then downed it in one. The effect was fast. Draco began to buckle, his breath constricted, his vision blurring.

"I love you!" Ginny cried as she grabbed her head in her hands and kissed him roughly. The taste was bitter but she refused to break off the kiss, ignoring the pain and only feeling the rough of his moist tongue rolling over hers.

It was over too soon.

Bye,

Jessie

xox


End file.
